Aliran has just released this media statement:

Aliran welcomes the court verdict in the 1MDB case that found Najib Razak guilty of four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.3bn.

The verdict – along with another High Court decision on 22 December, turning down Najib’s bid for ‘house arrest’ in the SRC International case – is a major milestone in the fight against corruption in high places.

We note that this struggle for accountability was at the heart of the Reformasi movement and civil society’s Bersih protest rallies over the years.

As such, we are totally against any attempt at a “political reset” to wipe the slate clean for politicians implicated in high-level corruption. Let there be no double standards in the battle against corruption.

Let the 1MDB issue and all other high-level corruption cases be fairly adjudicated in the courts, with independent judges and prosecutors. The outcomes should be respected and upheld.

For this to happen, the independence of the judiciary must be safeguarded. In the selection of judges, amendments are needed to the Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2009 to ensure that the appointments process itself is independent of the executive.

Prosecutors have to be independent of the attorney general, who at present is a government appointee and advisor. This separation of roles must be expedited.

Support the struggle to build a Malaysia based on Justice, Freedom, Solidarity:

Meanwhile, we call on the Attorney General’s Chambers to pursue all high-level corruption cases where those charged were granted a “discharge not amounting to acquittal”.

Aliran executive committee
26 December 2025