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) How do we end the year on a high without relying solely on bonuses, pay rises, or one-off rewards? Yeoh Chen Chow, Founder of 1% Advisory and Coaching shares his thoughts.

12:00 PM

Just For Kicks

(REPEAT) Sean Malhotra and Bob Holmes join Daryl Ong to talk about football during the festive period - they look ahead to Matchweek 17 of the English Premier League.

1:00 PM

A Bit of Culture

(REPEAT) Matt Armitage and Zan Azlee join Kam Raslan to talk about British India curry, five star ratings and children's sports day.

2:00 PM

Ringgit & Sense

(REPEAT) Felix Neoh, Director of Financial Planning at Finwealth Management answers listeners questions about credit cards.

2:30 PM

The Property Show

(REPEAT) Recap of Property Show on Pest Management episodes in 2025.

3:00 PM

Best of The Bigger Picture

(REPEAT) We speak to feminist ethnographer Maria do Mar Pereira about some myths surrounding feminism, what the movement truly stands for, and whether it can benefit men, as well.

4:00 PM

Best of Evening Edition

(REPEAT) How do you deal with (and survive) family conflict during the holidays? A counsellor shares tips to defuse and de-escalate tense situations.

5:00 PM

BBC World Service

Dr. Sonia Gandhi, a renowned scientist working on slowing down the effects of Parkinson disease, shares her journey so far with Professor Jim Al-Khalili on The Life Scientific.