IPOH, Feb 29 — Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the resignation of Attorney General Tommy Thomas amid expectations of a power shift in Putrajaya will not affect his trial.
Najib told Free Malaysia Today (FMT) that he wants his day in court to fight the multiple charges of corruption and power abuse stacked against him.
Najib said that he would not want the charges against him to be dropped as was the case with Lim Guan Eng, whose corruption charge linked to the purchase of a bungalow in Penang was dropped in the aftermath of Pakatan Harapan’s general election victory in 2018.
“I am not Lim Guan Eng,” he told the news portal.
Lim was the Penang chief minister when he and businesswoman Phang Li Khoon were charged with corruption in 2016.
Lim was accused of abusing his position in approving a land deal as well as purchasing a bungalow in Penang at below market price from Phang.
The former Umno president said that he hopes to get a fair trial as well as an assurance that there would be no political interference.
“I am also hoping that my trials will be covered fairly in the media with unbiased headlines and reporting,” he said.
Najib’s comments come as his former deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, whom he sacked at the height of the 1MDB saga in 2015, is expected to take over as Malaysia’s next prime minister.
At the moment, Najib is facing 42 charges of corruption and abuse of power over transactions involving billions of dollars linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and SRC International.
