Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak leaves the Kuala Lumpur High Court December 19, 2019. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 ― Even after more than a year since the historic 14th general election that saw Barisan Nasional’s first defeat ever under Datuk Seri Najib Razak, the former prime minister still refused to disappear into the shadows in 2019.

Despite facing multiple corruption charges in his alleged role in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) financial scandal, Najib had managed to capitulate the attention of the Malaysian public as a fervent critic of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration.

Within a span of a year, the Malaysian public had observed how 66-year-old attempted to maintain his relevancy in the public eye even as he went on trial.

Malay Mail charts several of the more memorable events involving Najib this year:

Najib’s unlikely rebranding effort had begun in January of this year with the ‘Malu apa bossku’ (‘Why the shame, boss?’ in Malay) campaign. — Picture via Facebook/Datuk Seri Najib Razak

Transformation into a ‘folk hero’

Najib’s unlikely rebranding effort had begun in January of this year with the “Malu apa bossku” (“Why the shame, boss?” in Malay) campaign, where he taps in the Malay blue-collar culture and position himself as a champion of the working class ― complete with a moped.

His moniker “Bossku Najib” became a common cheer among his Malay supporters whenever he joined the campaign for several by-elections, and his popularity had arguably helped the diminishing coalition win in some contests.

For being such a thorn in the government’s behind on social media and on campaign trails, Najib had even dubbed himself as the “King of Trolls” in a speech during the Cameron Highlands by-election in January.

Paired with businessman Ron Kamisan, the “Bossku” brand reached weird heights ― from an apparel line and endorsing chocolate milk, to an aborted appearance in a hip-hop music video ― only to come crashing down as soon as Najib entered courts.

Najib charge for criminal breach of trust over SRC International

Najib’ long-awaited SRC trail finally begins on April 4, long after he was accused of a total of seven charges of criminal breach of trust, money laundering, and abuse of position in his capacity then as prime minister and finance minister over RM42 million of 1MDB’s former subsidiary SRC International Sdn Bhd.

Najib was charged in July and August of last year of his alleged crimes.

The first leg of Najib’s SRC trial took some 60 days, with court dates stretches from April 3 until October 23.

During this period, the trial some quirky events, with Najib celebrating his 66th birthday at the courthouse, and even a bomb scare that halted court proceedings on July 25 due that resulted in the entire Kuala Lumpur court complex being evacuated.

Najib appointed to BN advisory board chairman

Najib was also appointed as the chairman of the Barisan Nasional advisory board on July 9 of this year, following calls for him to return as Umno’s “de facto leader” in 2018.

According to a statement released by BN’s secretary-general, Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor said the appointment was to help regain the confidence of the people towards the coalition.

Najib had resigned from his post as BN chairman and Umno president on May 13, 2018, only days after the coalition had lost the 2018 polls.

Despite disapproval from certain quarters from Umno such as Khairy Jamaluddin and Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, other Umno lawmakers have defended Najib, stating his newfound fame under the “Bossku Najib” campaign could help regain support for the party.

1MDB-Tanore trial starts for Najib

Najib’s second trial, involving RM2.3 billion 1MDB corruption trial start on August 23.

In this case, the prosecution lead by senior deputy public prosecutor Datuk Gopal Sri Ram intends to prove that Najib was in cahoots with his supposed alter ego, financier Low Taek Jho in all matters related to 1MDB.

The case saw several revelations made through key witnesses, particularly from Najib former special officer Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin who testified that Low was close to the former prime minister and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak is greeted with cheers and a chocolate cake for his 66th birthday at the lobby of the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex July 23, 2019. — Picture by Mukhriz Hazim

Another key witness was also 1MDB former chief executive Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi who had testified that company was involved in many lopsided deals that lead to massive debt accumulated by the sovereign wealth fund.

The case is postponed at the moment, to make way for Najib’s other pending cases and expected to resume on January 6, 2020.

Call into defence for all charges related to SRC

The SRC saga continued as Najib was called into defence for his criminal breach of trust and corruption charges involving to SRC International on November 11.

This was despite his defence team, led by Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, stating they were confident that the charges against the former would be dropped.

Setting a precedent, Najib, a former prime minister, has also taken the stand as the first witness in the defence stage of the trial and even had been cross-examined by the attorney general Tommy Thomas.

Since taking the stance, Najib has reiterated that he thought the monies that went through his personal bank accounts were political donations.

Najib’s joint trial with Arul Kanda over 1MDB audit report

Najib’s third trial involving his alleged role in tampering with the 2016 federal audit report on 1MDB had finally begun on November 18.

This time Najib stands accused together with former 1MDB chief executive Arul Kanda Kandasamy of doing so to conceal his and fugitive financier Low Taek Jho’s alleged role in the misappropriation of funds.

The trial saw key witnesses such as Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang recalling on several meetings involving other senior government officers and 1MDB's Arul Kanda that led changes made to the 2016 Auditor-General’s final audit report on the sovereign wealth fund.

The trial also unwittingly produced another folk hero: federal auditor Nor Salwani Muhammad who saved an audio recording from a recorder accidentally left in a pencil case ― which allegedly shows senior government officials including former chief secretary to the government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa stating that the prime minister must be protected from any dissatisfactory findings in the audit report.

Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak swears a 'sumpah laknat' at Masjid Jamek in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur December 20, 2019. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

Explosive SD on allegedly directing Altantuya’s murder

On December 16, former police commando Azilah Hadri made a shocking statutory declaration that Najib had ordered the death of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu in 2006.

Azilah’s statutory declaration (SD) had detailed on how he and another former police commando Sirul Azhar Umar had killed Altantuya on Najib’s orders and that the former prime minister had ordered them to dispose of her body with explosives.

In a firm response, Najib denied such allegations, stating that the claims were a complete fabrication and even order his officers to lodge a police report on the issue so that a fresh investigation can be carried out.

Najib also took a step further by performing a “sumpah laknat” in a bid to declare his innocence, swearing to God that whoever had lied over the matter be cursed.