Business as Usual for Malaysia Premier Amid 1MDB Graft Drama

Najib keeps focus on economy as opposition renews attacks
Analysts see Najib’s position as ‘fairly secure’ amid scandal

Najib Razak.
Photographer: Mohd Rasfan/AFP via Getty Images

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By Shamim Adam and Y-Sing Liau

July 24, 2016 at 10:10 PM UTC

Updated on

July 25, 2016 at 3:29 AM UTC

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The day U.S. prosecutors alleged massive fraud at a Malaysian state fund, it was business as usual thousands of miles away for Prime Minister Najib Razak. Attending an evening feast for thousands of civil servants, he shook hands and posed for selfies.

The next day he showed up at the exhibition of a new sedan by the country’s top carmaker and held a national development planning meeting. He only briefly addressed the U.S. news, saying the Department of Justice action should be allowed to run its course.