AFP, Kuala Lumpur :
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak today vowed “no surrender” as he fends off allegations of corruption and abuse of power over a political funding scandal that has prompted calls for his removal.
“Even though there are traitors, and no matter how many times we are pushed to the ground, there shall be no retreat, no surrender,” Najib told more than 2,000 delegates to the United Malays National Organisation’s (UMNO) annual assembly.
“No retreat! No surrender!” he repeated forcefully.
This week’s annual gathering of the party which has ruled Malaysia for more than a half-century has been the most closely watched in years for signs of any revolt against Najib.
It was revealed in July that Najib received nearly $700 million in still unexplained “political donations”, just as he was battling parallel allegations that hundreds of millions of dollars were missing from deals involving a state firm he launched.
Najib and the company, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), both vehemently deny any wrongdoing, but opponents say Najib has moved to silence critics and has abused his office to hobble investigations and stay in power.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak today vowed “no surrender” as he fends off allegations of corruption and abuse of power over a political funding scandal that has prompted calls for his removal.
“Even though there are traitors, and no matter how many times we are pushed to the ground, there shall be no retreat, no surrender,” Najib told more than 2,000 delegates to the United Malays National Organisation’s (UMNO) annual assembly.
“No retreat! No surrender!” he repeated forcefully.
This week’s annual gathering of the party which has ruled Malaysia for more than a half-century has been the most closely watched in years for signs of any revolt against Najib.
It was revealed in July that Najib received nearly $700 million in still unexplained “political donations”, just as he was battling parallel allegations that hundreds of millions of dollars were missing from deals involving a state firm he launched.
Najib and the company, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), both vehemently deny any wrongdoing, but opponents say Najib has moved to silence critics and has abused his office to hobble investigations and stay in power.
