Cover image via The Malaysian Insider40 years ago on 21 February 1976, Najib Razak began his political career as a young, aspiring member of parliament. He was just 22 years old.
Najib inspecting equipment used to channel solar energy at a house in Kampung Merting near Jerantut in 1985
Image via NST
Commemorating PM Najib's 40 years in politics, his fan club, Kelab Sahabat Najib Razak (N87), spoke a great deal about how he is both a "rare politician and a great statesman"
Image via Malaysia Chronicle
Moving on to the role of UMNO in the country, Chairman Suleiman Mohamad, reminded how keeping the party alive will ensure the survival of Malays and Islam in Malaysia
"We are retired soldiers but we are not tired soldiers, we are fighters of UMNO. As long as we are still alive, we will continue fighting because UMNO is the soul of the race.
**If this soul dies, the Malays and Islam will disappear," expressed the chairman of Kelab Sahabat Najib Razak, Suleiman Mohamad.**
Image via Astro Awani
The thanksgiving party that was held on 20 February, also saw Suleiman congratulating PM Najib's wife, Datin Rosmah Mansor for being an "excellent number one lady"
Image via The Hoya
Image via The Malay Mail Online
Much has transpired over the span of four decades for Najib, starting off as the nation's youngest Member of Parliament to climbing up the ladder of success when he became Malaysia's sixth prime minister in 2009
Image via The Guardian
The rise of PM Najib's rich political career in year 1976:
Determined to realise his father's dream of revolutionising Malaysia's economy, PM Najib made ambitious reforms and additions, including the creation of the New Economic Model (NEM) that aims to reduce income equality and boost productivity
Image via Din Merican
The unearthing of the 1MDB corruption scandal in 2015 that wrecked PM Najib's reputation as the nation's leader:
Najib's career took a downward spiral when the Wall Street Journal released reports of major corruption scandals involving the state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB)
The issue was first brought up on 2 July when news channels, Sarawak Report and the Wall Street Journal published reports claiming that a sum of RM42 million from the government owned strategic development company, 1MDB, has been transferred into Prime Minister Najib Razak's personal account in December 2014.
Sarawak Report also claims that a grand sum of RM2.6 billion has been transferred into Najib's personal account right before the 2013 General Elections.
Read all about the extensive report about the money flow in 1MDB that unleashed a series of revelation leading to the shaky state of PM Najib's career:
Also, watch these bite-sized videos created by the Wall Street Journal detailing the 1MDB scandal, made with all the information the investigators have managed to collect so far:
The revelation opened up a complicated web of scandals and corruption involving high-level politicians, including PM Najib Razak and the issue was even starting to affect our ringgit value
**How does the 1MDB corruption scandal affect Malaysia's economy in the long run? Read about Tan Sri Zeti Aziz's concerns on this matter:**
Could this be the beginning of the end of PM Najib's 40-year-old political journey?
Image via The Malaysian Insider
On 11 November 2015, former premier Dr Mahathir asked for PM Najib Razak's resignation for the nation's greater good
After months of indirectly nudging PM Najib Razak to resign with his press conferences and statements about the responsibilities of a prime minister, Dr Mahathir and many other prominent politicians started openly questioning Najib on the RM2.6 billion donation and 1MDB issue:
However, PM Najib has remained calm and composed till now, as the accusations about his involvement in the corruption scandals continue to build up both locally and internationally
What's really surprising is that the prime minister has managed to maintain his composure from the day he started receiving all these financial scandal accusations, even going to the point of assuring American leaders that the nation is doing just fine by pledging to continue working to develop Malaysia:
In the midst of all the buzz surrounding the 1MDB case, Malaysia's Attorney-General (AG) Apandi Ali declared that PM Najib has been cleared of all corruption charges regarding the RM2.6 billion election 'donations' that he received
Will these financial scandals ever be resolved?
While Malaysians are left wondering about the truth behind the controversial 1MDB scandals, international bodies like Switzerland's Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) and the FBI continue to investigate the matter:
PM Najib Razak's political career has been an illustrious one, having been appointed as the deputy minister of the Energy, Telecommunications and Postal Services ministry at the tender age of 25 to heading the Culture, Youth and Sports Ministry just eight years later
Here's a look at the timeline of Malaysia's sixth prime minister's active political career, from 1976 till 20 February 2016 by The Malaysian Insider:
Image via The Malaysian Insider
