BFM 89.9

HIGHLIGHTS 
Podcast  >  Bigger Picture  >  Beyond The Ballot Box  >  Is the Government Going Too Soft on Najib?

Is the Government Going Too Soft on Najib?

Pushpan Murugiah, CEO, Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4)

04-Feb-25 15:00

Is the Government Going Too Soft on Najib?

In an interview with the Financial Times, when asked about the reduced prison sentence for former Prime Minister Najib Razak, current Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that he does not wish for Najib to suffer in “hell” as he once did. This is of course amidst ongoing conversations on the possibility that Najib could be granted house arrest for the rest of his sentence, although it has to be said that such laws do not yet exist in Malaysia. 

In response to that, the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism released a statement recently saying “enough is enough! Why has the tone of the Madani government been so sympathetic to Najib Razak? Have they forgotten the sheer scale of his crimes?”

So, has the MADANI government, led by Prime Minister Anwar, forgotten its reformist roots or is it just smart and meticulous politicking to manage the political climate and maintain stability? 

We speak to Pushpan Murugiah, who’s the CEO of Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4). 


In this episode,we discuss:

  • The framing of Najib's reduced sentence as a human rights issue.

  • The political challenges faced by the MADANI government. How to strike a balance between navigating a large coalition of varying interests and being steadfast in executing the anti-corruption agenda.

  • Why the Prime Minister and his team must communicate with the people in a more transparent way.

  • Does Malaysia need a 1977 Hong Kong-style Amnesty? In 1977, Hong Kong’s newly established ICAC granted amnesty for past corruption to quell police resistance, allowing strict anti-corruption enforcement moving forward.

  • The three key areas of reform the government must implement.

Produced by: Dashran Yohan

Presented by: Dashran Yohan


This and more than 60,000 other podcasts in your hand. Download the all new BFM mobile app.

Categories:  politics,  government,  corruption

Tags:  corruption,  anti-corruption,  anwar ibrahim,  najib razak,  1mdb,  src,  madani,  attorney-general’s chambers,  public prosecutor,  reformasi,  institutional reform, 


Latest Podcasts




Play / Pause

Listen now : BFM 89.9 -- The Business Station

Today’s Shows



11:00 AM

Best of Enterprise

(REPEAT) We look at why Malaysia is winning the data centre race, with Carlos Garcia Rodriguez from Turner & Townsend.

12:00 PM

Just For Kicks

(REPEAT) We look ahead to Matchweek 13 of the English Premier League, including the big one between first and second - Chelsea vs Arsenal

1:00 PM

A Bit of Culture

(REPEAT) Kam, Matt and Vernon congregate to talk about historians and AI, pasar malams and audiobooks!

2:00 PM

Ringgit & Sense

(REPEAT) Chee Pei Pei, Tax Partner and Private Leader at Deloitte Malaysia explains the ins and outs of family businesses.

2:30 PM

The Property Show

(REPEAT) Theebalakshmi Kunasekaran of the Khazanah Research Institute and Cindy Chew of Thrive Well discuss the aims of Malaysia’s PPR public housing programme, its evolution, and the lived experiences and social support needs within PPR communities.

3:00 PM

Best of The Bigger Picture

(REPEAT) How did a World No. 8 badminton player deal with an injury that set her back for months? Goh Liu Ying shares about the mental health struggles she faced.

4:00 PM

Best of Evening Edition

(REPEAT) We speak to Isabella Pek about orchestras in Kuala Lumpur.

5:00 PM

BBC World Service

This episode of Discovery looks at niche jobs that only animals can do.