Is Najib’s shadow now looming over Matrade with daughter’s appointment?

Nooryana Najwa Najib, daughter of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, has been appointed to the board of directors (BOD) of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade).

The appointment, along with those of Miti Secretary General Datuk Hairil Yahri Yaacob and Dr Mastura Abdul Karim from the Ministry of Finance, was confirmed by Matrade chairman Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican.

Nooryana at Matrade

Nooryana, 36, is a member of Umno’s Puteri wing and previously faced legal issues regarding unpaid taxes. Reezal, a former minister and current Umno Supreme Council member, has chaired Matrade since May 2023.

Everyone is actually talking about the appointment of Najib’s daughter, Nooryana Najwa Najib, as a board member of Matrade.

For that matter, James Chin, an analyst who is a firm critique of the Madani Government, says her brothers are also holding leadership positions in #UMNO. “How is this possible? Among the elites, there is no such thing as law and crime; the law is for ordinary people and crimes are committed by ordinary people,” he suggests.

He also aks whether, “PMX do anything? The answer is No. Why- because he is part of the elite … simple as that.”

Najib’s Shadows

Najib Razak, former Prime Minister of Malaysia, is in jail for his involvement in the 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad) financial scandal, particularly related to SRC International, a subsidiary of 1MDB.

In July 2020, Najib was convicted on seven charges, including abuse of power, criminal breach of trust (CBT), and money laundering, involving RM42 million (about USD 10 million) linked to SRC International. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined RM210 million.

Najib’s conviction was upheld by Malaysia’s Federal Court in August 2022, leading to his imprisonment. The broader 1MDB scandal involved billions of dollars being embezzled from the state investment fund, affecting multiple countries and leading to numerous investigations and charges against various individuals worldwide.​

Yes, Najib Razak is still involved in several ongoing court cases and legal battles, even while serving his prison sentence for the SRC International conviction. His other significant legal challenges relate to the broader 1MDB scandal. These cases include:

Several cases

1. 1MDB-related charges: Najib faces additional charges involving the embezzlement of billions from 1MDB. These charges cover criminal breach of trust, money laundering, and abuse of power for misappropriating larger sums than in the SRC International case.

2. Appeals: Najib continues to pursue legal avenues, including appeals to challenge his existing convictions and sentences. He has attempted various legal reviews, such as filing for a royal pardon and seeking a judicial review of his conviction by Malaysia’s Federal Court.

3. Civil lawsuits: Najib also faces civil lawsuits, including efforts by Malaysia’s Inland Revenue Board (IRB) to recover unpaid taxes amounting to more than RM1.7 billion. Additionally, there are other civil claims tied to the 1MDB scandal.

While some of his legal efforts have not succeeded so far, his defense team continues to file motions and appeals in both criminal and civil cases.​

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