Malaysia’s disgraced former prime minister is popular again
A judge called Najib Razak a “national embarrassment”. Voters seem not to mind
NAJIB RAZAK smiled beatifically as he strode through a crowd of adoring fans. It was the evening of March 12th, soon after polls closed in a snap election in Johor, a state at the tip of the Malaysian peninsula. Supporters of Mr Najib and his party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), had massed at its office in the state capital, Johor Bahru. The air was electric with the promise of victory.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “The resurrection of Najib Razak”
Asia March 19th 2022
From the March 19th 2022 edition
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