KUCHING, Dec 29 2025: State’s human rights activist Peter John Jaban reminded political leaders, who are entrusted with governing the country, to take heed of conviction of former Prime Minister Najib Razak by the High Court for abuse of power.
He said the law will eventually go after those who abuse their power by enriching themselves and family members, even after they have long retired or forced out of office by the people.
He reminded those still shielded by position, delay, or political convenience: do not mistake the absence of conviction for the absence of scrutiny.
“The people remember. Records exist. History is patient. The people are watching. This is not the end of reform, but a warning and a reminder.
“Impunity thrives only when citizens grow tired. We must not. Accountability must be demanded relentlessly without fear and without compromise,”Peter, who is Saya Anak Sarawak (SAS) founder, said today.
“The recent court’s decision in Najib’s case sends a clear and unmistakable message to the nation.
“This conviction is not merely a legal outcome; it is a powerful signal that abuse of power can be challenged, exposed, and judged,” Peter, who is also the Deputy President of the Global Human Rights Federation (Malaysia), said in a response to the jailing of Najib to 15 years and imposing a fine of RM11.4 billion by the Kuala Lumpur High Country on Dec 26.
He reminded that power does not place anyone above accountability, adding that it was forced into existence by years of pressure, exposure, and the rakyat’s insistence on truth.
“This moment (conviction of Najib) belongs to the people who refuse to forget, refuse to be distracted, and refuse to accept impunity as normal,” he added.
He said the people acknowledge the unwavering commitment of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigators and prosecutors who pursued this case over many years despite pressure, resistance, and repeated attempts to undermine accountability.
He said their persistence demonstrates that corruption can be confronted when institutions are allowed to do their work.
He noted that MACC Chief Commissioner Azam Baki has publicly recognised these teams for securing the conviction and for the strong cooperation across multiple agencies.
“This collective effort proves that meaningful action against corruption requires courage, coordination, and institutional independence,” he said.
Peter also said that the people salute the judiciary for upholding the rule of law and conducting the trial in a transparent and thorough manner.
“At a time when public confidence is often tested, the courts remain a vital pillar in ensuring that justice is decided by evidence and law not by power or influence.
“Malaysian taxpayers owe their grateful to Justo and Rewcastle Brown for exposing the theft of billions from 1MDB,” he said, referring to Xavier André Justo, a Swiss former banker, and Clare Rewcastle Brown, the editor of a United Kingdom-based whistle-blower Sarawak Report.
He said Justo, a former employee linked to PetroSaudi, came into possession of internal data after falling out with his employers.
He said history often turns not on pure motives, but on access and timing, adding that the information he held was authentic and explosive.
“It revealed the internal mechanics of transactions that would otherwise have remained opaque. “Without this data, allegations surrounding 1MDB would have remained speculative rather than evidential.
“His disclosures provided the raw material that made denial increasingly untenable,” Peter said.
He said Rewcastle Brown, through Sarawak Report, demonstrated credibility, persistence, and courage in publishing and verifying this information, stating that her work involved connecting financial transactions across multiple jurisdictions and continuing publication despite legal threats, intimidation, and political pressure.
“Journalism does not deliver verdicts but without exposure, there can be no investigation, and without investigation, there can be no justice,” he stressed.
He recalled that the core transactions linked to 1MDB began as early as 2010–2011, saying that for years, they attracted little sustained scrutiny not because the sums were small, but because the structure was deliberately complex and cross-border.
“Oversight institutions were politically constrained, and questioning the scheme carried professional and legal risks.
“In such an environment, silence is not accidental ,it is engineered.
“At a time when most mainstream Malaysian media were constrained by ownership structures, licensing laws, and political pressure, Sarawak Report operated outside domestic censorship.
“This external position was crucial. When Sarawak Report and later The Edge began publishing detailed investigations, the public could finally see the scale, intent, and design of the scheme.
“Without this exposure, the truth may never have reached daylight,” he said, adding that the case also highlights the importance of international law-enforcement cooperation.
He said authorities from the United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Singapore, the Netherlands, and Barbados played critical roles in supporting Malaysia’s anti-corruption efforts—reinforcing the message that corruption has no safe haven.
He said the court’s decision to convict Najib reminds the people that justice is not automatic—it is demanded.
“Institutions, journalists, and citizens each have a role to play. When the people remain vigilant, accountability becomes unavoidable.
“Without leaked data, foreign-based investigative journalism, and independent domestic media willing to take risks, this affair might have joined the long list of buried scandals.
“We therefore thank local and international media voices who refused to look away,” he said.
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