Najib Gets His Own Candlelight Vigil Before Being Charged In Court
Chants of "Hidup Najib" and "Daulat Tuanku" were heard outside the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters yesterday, 3 July.
By Jia Vern Tham — 04 Jul 2018, 10:09 AM
Supporters of Datuk Seri Najib Razak lit 40 candles in solidarity with the detained former premier outside the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters last night, 3 July
Bernama reported that the candles were lit at about 8.30pm yesterday by supporters, who had gathered outside the MACC headquarters to protest the detention of Najib.
"Tens" of protesters arrived at the MACC headquarters just before 9pm yesterday, according to Malay Mail. They were chanting "Hidup Najib" (long live Najib) and "Daulat Tuanku".
Leading the protest was a group calling itself Pemantau Malaysia Baru, which is headed by Datuk Lokman Noor Adam, an UMNO supreme council member.
Lokman claimed that Najib's arrest was aimed at demoralising the former premier's spirit
"What is the point of his arrest, we ask... It's aimed at breaking his spirit, push him to give up," Lokman was quoted as saying by Malay Mail, before adding that the arrest would not affect Najib as that was not the Najib he knew.
He stressed that Najib "has no reason not to cooperate" if MACC had asked the former Prime Minister to present himself in court.
The group expressed disappointment at the government's treatment of Najib
"Who granted the 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad) special task force power to arrest Najib? Wasn't it supposed to be the MACC?" former Special Affairs Department (JASA) strategic communication director Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz, who was present at the vigil, was quoted as asking by Malaysiakini.
The special task force released a statement yesterday, which confirmed that Najib's arrest was in connection with investigations into SRC International, a former 1MDB subsidiary.
Tun Faisal also deemed the arrest unfair, and questioned the presence of the Bar Council, the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), and other activists.
A rendition of "Allah Selamatkan Kamu" (God Save You), usually sang on birthdays, was also heard at the vigil last night.
A few patrol cars and around 30 police personnel were present at the scene to monitor the vigil.
Najib has been charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code for criminal breach of trust (CBT) at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.