Najib Tun Razak

Infobox Vice President
honorific-prefix = Yang Amat Berhormat Dato' Sri
name = Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak

---

order = 9th Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
term_start = October 31 2004
term_end =
vicepresident =
predecessor = Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
successor = Incumbent
birth_date = Birth date and age|1953|7|23|df=y
birth_place = Kuala Lipis, Pahang
death_date =
death_place =
party = Barisan Nasional, UMNO
spouse = Tengku Puteri Zainah Tengku Eskandar (1976 - 1987) [cite book|title=Faces in the Corridors of Power: A Pictorial Depiction of Malaysian Personalities in Positions of Power and Authority|author=Rais Yatim|publisher=Pelanduk Publications|year=1987|pages=148|isbn=9679781763] Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor
children = 1. Mohd. Nizar 2. Puteri Norliza 3. Mohd. Nasifuddin 4. Nooriyana Najwa 5. Norashman Razak
religion = Islam
occupation = Malaysian Minister, Member of Parliament
order2 = Minister of Finance of Malaysia
term_start2 = September 17 2008
term_end2 =
predecessor2 = Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
successor2 =
order3 = Minister of Defence of Malaysia
term_start3 = October 31 2004
term_end3 = September 17 2008
predecessor3 =
successor3 = Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi|

Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak (born July 23, 1953, in Kuala Lipis, Pahang) is a Malaysian politician, who has been the country's Deputy Prime Minister since January 7, 2004. Najib is a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), and is currently the Deputy President of the party.

Dato' Sri Mohd Najib is the eldest son of Tun Abdul Razak, the second Prime Minister of Malaysia, and a nephew of Tun Hussein Onn, the third PM. He was first elected to the Dewan Rakyat, representing the parliamentary constituency of Pekan, at the age of 23 in an uncontested election after the death of his father. In his career, Najib has held a variety of ministerial portfolios (the first at the age of 32), culminating in the post of Minister of Defence before being chosen as the deputy PM by Abdullah Badawi. Najib holds the title of "Orang Kaya Inderapura" of Pahang. He was first married to Tengku Puteri Zainah Tengku Eskandar; presently he is married to Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor. He has three sons, Nizar (born 1978), Nazifuddin and Norashman, and two daughters, Puteri Norlisa and Nooryana Najwa.

Najib had his primary and secondary education at St. John's Institution, Kuala Lumpur. He also attended Malvern College, Worcestershire, England and subsequently attended the University of Nottingham.

Controversies

1987 Kampung Baru rally

In the midst of UMNO's internal crisis in 1987, a rally by UMNO Youth led by Najib was held in Kampung Baru. Anti-Chinese sentiments were expressed openly during the rally with placard carrying slogans like "May 13 has begun", and "Soak (the kris) in Chinese blood". This precipitated existing ethnic tensions leading to fears of a repeat of inter-ethnic violence and eventually resulted in a security operation known as Operasi Lalang, where administrative detentions were made on hundreds of individuals [Citation | last = Brown | first = Graham K. | author-link = | publication-date = | date = April 2005 | title = Balancing the Risks of Corrective Surgery: The political economy of horizontal inequalities and the end of the New Economic Policy in Malaysia | place = Oxford | publisher = Centre for Research on Inequality, Human Security and Ethnicity, CRISE; Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford | url = http://www.crise.ox.ac.uk/pubs/workingpaper20.pdf | accessdate = 07-12-08 ] .

UMNO was also declared illegal in early 1988, allowing the Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, to consolidate his power with the establishment of a new party that assumed the name of the previously banned UMNO. The newly formed party excluded those who had previously challenged Mahathir's authority within the party [cite book |title= Paradoxes of Mahathirism: An Intellectual Biography of Mahathir Mohamad |last= Khoo |first= Boo Teik |authorlink= |coauthors= |year= 408 |publisher= Oxford University Press|location= New York |isbn= 9676530921 |pages= ] .

Claims Malaysia is an Islamic State

In keeping in line with UMNO's strategy of politicizing racial and religious issues [ [http://www.freedomhouse.org/inc/content/pubs/fiw/inc_country_detail.cfm?year=2007&country=7223&pf Freedom House: Country report (Malaysia, 2007 update)] ] , Najib declared that Malaysia has "never been secular because being secular by Western definition means separation of the Islamic principles of in the way we govern the country.” [http://www.google.com Islam’s war on sin dims bright lights in a nation torn between cultures, Nick Meo, Kota Bharu, August 18, 2007] ]

Murder of Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa

He had a close aide, Abdul Razak Baginda, who was involved in a high-profile murder case of a Mongolian woman [ [http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/models-murder-raises-explosive-questions-for-malaysian-minister/2006/12/13/1165685753073.html Model's murder raises explosive questions for Malaysian minister] ] , Altantuya Shaaribuu. In a statutory declaration in his sedition trial in June 2008, Raja Petra accused Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor (his wife) of being one of three individuals who were present at the crime scene when Altantuya Shaariibuu was murdered on Oct 19, 2006 [ [http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2008/06/21/rpks-bombshell-allegation-on-altantuya-murder-abdullah-najib-rosmah-cannot-remain-silent/ Lim Kit Siang » Blog Archive » RPK’s bombshell allegation on Altantuya murder - Abdullah, Najib, Rosmah cannot remain silent ] ] . He wrote that Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, and Acting Colonel Aziz Buyong and his wife, Norhayati, Rosmah’s aide-de-camp, were present at the scene of the murder and that Aziz Buyong was the individual who placed C4 plastic explosive on Altantuya’s body and blew it up. [cite news | title=Malaysian Deputy Premier’s Wife Linked to Murder | date=2008-06-23 | publisher=Asian Sentinel | url =http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1277&Itemid=34 | work =Asian Sentinel | pages = | accessdate = 2008-06-23 | language = ]

Dr Shaariibuu Setev, the father of murdered Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu, has asked the police to conduct a thorough investigation into an allegation by Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin. He said the police should look seriously into the allegation by Raja Petra as it might provide them with fresh evidence. [cite news | title=Shaariibuu Wants Police To Thoroughly Investigate Raja Petra's Allegation | date=2008-06-24 | publisher=Bernama | url =http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=341652 | work =Bernama | pages = | accessdate = 2008-06-24 | language = ] In retaliation, the two people named in Raja Petra Kamarudin’s statutory declaration on June 18, Lt-Col Aziz Buyong and his wife Lt-Col Norhayati Hassan, as having been present at the murder scene of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu are suing the Malaysia Today editor for defamation. Aziz is seeking an apology from Raja Petra to be published in certain websites and newspapers, the removal of the statutory declaration from his blog and damages of RM1 million. [cite news | title=Two sue Raja Petra over statutory declaration | date=2008-06-28 | publisher=Malaysia Today | url =http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/9328/ | work =Malaysia Today | pages = | accessdate = 2008-06-28 | language = ]

Balasubramaniam a/l Perumal, a private investigator hired by Abdul Razak, testified in a statutory declaration that Abdul Razak had told him that Najib had had a sexual relationship with Altantuya, introduced her to Abdul Razak, and made arrangements to protect Abdul Razak from the murder trial. All mention of Najib's involvement had been removed from Balasubramaniam's testimony under police interrogation and not brought up in the murder trial [ [http://anwaribrahimblog.com/2008/07/03/press-statement-and-statutory-declaration-on-relationship-between-najib-and-altantuya/ Anwar Ibrahim's press statement and P. Balasubramaniam's statutory declaration on the relationship between Najib and Altantuya] Anwar Ibrahim's blog, 3 July 2008. ] . Soon after Balasubramaniam made a retraction of the statutory declaration that he made on July 1 and replaced it with one that erased all traces of allegations with references to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Altantuya Shaariibuu's murder. There were accusations that this new statutory declaration could have been due to intimidation or inducement, and was done not of his own free will. His lawyer Americk Singh Sidhu said he was not able to get in touch with Bala despite repeated phone calls. [ cite news|url=http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/content.jsp?id=com.tms.cms.article.Article_ee207b59-cb73c03a-1b092820-4c5b6be3|publisher=TheEdge=4 July 2008|accessdate=2008-07-04|title=Was Bala Subramaniam's retraction due to intimidation? ] The Malaysian police said on Sunday 6 July that they have asked Interpol to help find the private investigator who has been reported missing since making explosive claims linking the deputy premier to a murder. Bala's nephew has filed a missing person's report, saying the investigator and his family had disappeared. [ cite news|url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080706/wl_afp/malaysiapoliticsmongoliacrime_080706141354|publisher=AFP=6 July 2008|accessdate=2008-07-06|title=Malaysia seeks Interpol help to find missing investigator in murder claim ] It was discovered on July 10 that Balasubramaniam's house in Taman Pelangi here has been broken into but police have yet to ascertain whether anything was stolen. Balasubramaniam is said to have taken refuge in a neighbouring country with his wife and children. [ cite news|url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/11/nation/21799355&sec=nation|publisher=TheStar=11 July 2008|accessdate=2008-07-11|title=Bala’s house broken into ]

On July 22, 2008 in light of the new declarations lawyer Karpal Singh filed a notice of motion to call Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and three others to testify in the trial for the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu. Karpal who holds a watching brief for Altantuya's family, also sought to recall private detective P. Balasubramaniam who was the first prosecution witness in the trial. Karpal also wanted all proceedings with regard to the trial to be postponed pending the disposal of his application. [cite news | title=Karpal Wants Najib To Testify In Altantuya Murder Trial | date=2008-07-21 | publisher=Bernama | url =http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=347533| work =Bernama | pages = | accessdate = 2008-07-21 | language = ] On July 23, 2008 the High Court rejected a petition by lawyer Karpal Singh to obtain testimony from Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, dealing a blow to the opposition's efforts to link Najib to the 2006 killing of translator Altantuya Shaariibuu. In rejecting the application, High Court judge Mohd Zaki said Karpal, who is holding a watching brief for victim Altantuya's family, has no locus standi or is in no position to make the application. He mentioned only the parties involved, namely the prosecution and the defence, have the right to do so. [cite news | title=Malaysian High Court rejects move to summon DPM Najib to testify in court | date=2008-07-24 | publisher=Channel News Asia | url =http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/southeastasia/view/362308/1/.html| work =ChannelNewsAsia | pages = | accessdate = 2008-07-24 | language = ] [cite news | title=Opposition Lawyer Loses Bid To Summon Malaysia's Deputy Leader As Murder Trial Witness | date=2008-07-23 | publisher=SinChew | url =http://www.mysinchew.com/node/14191?tid=14| work =Sin Chew | pages = | accessdate = 2008-07-23 | language = ]

Even behind bars under ISA detention, Raja Petra's website Malaysia Today carried a report detailing allegations on an exchange of text messages between Najib and Shafee Abdullah, the prominent lawyer who represented Abdul Razak Baginda before he was charged with abetting two police officers in the murder of the Altantunya. The SMSes, which went on from 8 November to 2 December, 2006 raises some questions over the handling of the murder case and suggests that Najib took a strong interest in the investigation from the beginning. [cite news| title=Najib under pressure, again |date=2008-10-11| publisher=Malaysian Insider|url= http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/10355-najib-under-pressure-again| work = The MalaysianInsider| accessdate = 2008-10-11]

Alleged Hindu Practitioner

On 22 August, 2008 Datuk Seri Najib Razak publicly swore according to Islam at Masjid Jamek Guar Perahu that he never knew murdered Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu, nor had anything to do with her. The deputy prime minister said: "Even though this is not an official oath on the Quran: Wallahi, Wabillahi, Watallahi, I never knew nor had anything to do with the Mongolian woman Altantuya." [ [http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/National/2329729/Article/index_html 'I never knew Altantuya,' swears Najib] NST, 23 August 2008. ] Raja Petra who has vowed to deny Najib a chance to be Prime Minister, put up the sworn statement on this Malaysia Today website by Thagarajoo Thangavelu who claimed to be a driver for businessman Datuk Kenneth Eswaran and formerly for politician Datuk K.S. Nallakaruppan in a posting titled "Najib: Muslim by birth, Hindu by practice". In the statutory declaration dated Aug 22 and made in Kuala Lumpur, Thagarajoo claimed Eswaran was a close friend of Najib and had brought a Hindu priest from Kerala named Mr. Ji to perform rituals regularly at the deputy prime minister's private residence in Jalan Duta and also at the official residence in Putrajaya. He also claimed that the priest had performed similar rituals before the Ijok by-election to ensure Barisan Nasional's victory and also to prevent prime minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi from marrying Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah. [ [http://malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/11709/84/ Battle heats up with sworn statement of Najib's "Hindu practises" ] Malaysia Today, 24 August 2008. ] [ [http://themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/8083-battle-heats-up-with-sworn-statement-of-najibs-qhindu-practisesq/ Battle heats up with sworn statement of Najib's 'Hindu practices' ] Malaysia Insider, 25 August 2008.]

Alleged Political Conspiracy against Anwar Ibrahim

On 30 June, 2008 Najib denied any personal involvement in the alleged political conspiracy against former deputy premier Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, including a police report alleging Anwar committed sodomy against his former aide. He said the picture of his aide Khairil Anas Yusof with the alleged sodomy victim Saiful Bukhari Azlan at his office had been taken three months ago when the latter, in his capacity as a student leader, came to his office to seek a scholarship. [ [http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/content.jsp?id=com.tms.cms.article.Article_d843a474-cb73c03a-c8c7d600-7924d231 Najib denies involvement in the sodomy allegation] TheEdge Daily, 30 June 2008. ] However on 1 July 2008, Najib mentioned that he met Saiful at his residence a few days before the Saiful made the police report on Anwar. Najib also said that Saiful wanted to reveal that he had been sodomised by Anwar. [ [http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=343750 Najib: Saiful came to see me on Sodomy Case] Bernama, 3 July 2008. ] Raja Petra, a prominent Malaysian blogger activist contended that a friend had accompanied Saiful to a meeting with Najib before charges against Anwar were made public, implying that the new charges against Anwar had been trumped up. [ [http://asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1344&Itemid=31 Malaysia’s Najib Ducks a Court Appearance] Asian Sentinel, 24 July 2008. ] It was alledged by Federal Territory Mosque imam Ramlang Porigi that Najib's special officer Assoc Prof Khairil Annas Jusoh asked him to witness the oath-taking at the mosque on August 15 by Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan that Anwar sodomised him. Ramlang was the witness at the Federal Territory Mosque in Jalan Duta on August 15 when Mohd Saiful Bukhari took an oath to demonstrate he was telling the truth when he accused Anwar of having sodomised him. [ [http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=357205 DPM's Special Officer Issues Denial Over Oath By Mohd Saiful Bukhari] Bernama, 4 September 2008. ]

Problems with National Service

The Malaysian National Service, a brainchild of Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, has been plagued with poor management right from its inception. [ [http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/FE04Ae01.html Malaysia's 3-month national service a flop?] (May 4, 2004) Asia Times Online] As of May 2008, there have been 16 deaths in the Malaysian National Service. [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/11/asia/AS-GEN-Malaysia-National-Service.php Malaysian family to sue government over daughter's death during national service] (May 11, 2008) International Herald Tribune] Earlier in 2007, when queried by the press on these deaths, Najib was quoted as saying that "only" 14 children have died, in an attempt to minimize the bad press being received for these deaths. [ [http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/printable.php?id=283499 Government Won't Compromise On Negligence At NS Training Camps] (September 06, 2007) Bernama - Malaysian National News Agency] When recently pressured by more calls to suspend the program due to the 16^th death, Najib responded that it was not feasible to stop the program since "many parties are involved". [ [http://www.nst.com.my/Sunday/National/2237225/Article/index_html NS to outsource check-ups] (May 11, 2008) The New Straits Times]

Issue of Succession

In many of the controversies about him, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi identified Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Razak on 6th April, 2008 as his probable successor in line with the ruling party's tradition of political succession. [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/07/asia/AS-POL-Malaysia-Politics.php Malaysia's government blueprint for political succession grows clearer] ] Because of his implied involvement in the controversial Altantuya case, the court trial has gone through numerous irregularities and delays [ cite news|url=http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/82055|publisher=MalaysiaKini|date=28 Apr 2008|accessdate=2008-04-30|title=Altantuya's dad appeals to MPs for help ] . Even former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir predicted that Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will never allow his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Razak to take over as Prime Minister. He said that although Abdullah promises that Najib would succeed him by 2010, allegations would be hurled against the deputy prime minister before then to show up his inability to take over. [ cite news|url=http://themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/headlines/42-lead-stories/1619-najib-will-never-become-pm-says-dr-m|publisher=Malaysian Insider|date=10 July 2008|accessdate=2008-07-10|title=Najib will never become PM, says Dr M lanjiao ]

Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) report was lodged by veteran Selangor Umno leader Datuk Mazlan Harun in August against Najib Razak and Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi for alleged abuse of power. Mazlan had said the report was based on a letter written by Petaling Jaya Selatan Umno division head Kapt (R) Datuk Zahar Hashim which accused the two of "political corruption of the highest order." In the letter addressed to the Umno secretary-general, Zahar said the two top leaders had been campaigning to defend their positions despite asking others not to do the same, adding their actions had violated guidelines issued by party headquarters.cite news|date=2008-08-12 |url=http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=24638| title=PM: No power abuse in power transition |publisher=Sun2Surf] On 8 October, 2008 Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi announced he would step down in March 2009 paving the way for Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak to succeed him. However he said the onus was on Najib to win party elections set for March before he could take over. [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/10/08/asia/malay.php Malaysia's leader to step down as party loses clout] , (International Herald Tribune), October 8, 2008.] [ [http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200810/s2385880.htm?tab=asia Badawi to step down as Malaysia's PM in March] , (ABC Radio Australia), October 8, 2008.]

Notes and references