Political Corruption Alive and Well in Malaysia

Outrage and New Questions After Malaysia PM Cleared in Scandal

from thepennisulaqatar.com: Malaysia's official explanation of the $681 million that ended up in Prime Minister Najib Razak's personal bank account -- it was an entirely proper gift from friends -- has triggered derision and fresh questions in a country already well-used to allegations of graft.

On Tuesday, Malaysia's Najib-appointed attorney-general cleared the premier of wrongdoing in a scandal that has gripped the nation, declaring that the money was a "personal donation" from the Saudi royal family.

The announcement capped months of evasion by Najib on the source of the money and apparently laid to rest any threat of prosecution by Malaysian authorities.

But Malaysia's opposition, anti-graft activists and social media users pounced on the perceived implausibility of the unexplained Saudi largesse and alleged a government whitewash.

The Saudis themselves have not helped the situation, with The Wall Street Journal quoting a Saudi official saying the kingdom's government had no knowledge of the donation, adding such a royal gift would be "unprecedented".

Senior opposition figure Lim Kit Siang called the episode a "high-water mark" in Malaysia's well-documented history of government corruption and impunity.

"I cannot think of another case in the nation's history where the attorney-general's decision... has been greeted with more scepticism, outrage and scorn," he said.

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