Today, President Trump welcomed Malaysian Prime Minister to the White House, even though he is currently being investigated by the US Department of Justice for an international conspiracy. $4.5 billion, which should have been helping the Malaysian people, has been misappropriated according to global investigators. According to the Washington Post, the PM is "a subject of the largest foreign kleptocracy investigation ever launched by the U.S. Justice Department." $1 billion has believed to be siphoned from the state investment fund 1Malayasia Development Berhad (1MDB) into Najib Razak's personal bank accounts.
Money has also gone to the accounts of the Prime Minister’s close associates. Prime Minister Najib Razak denies any wrongdoing.
According to whitehouse.gov, “The President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump, hosted the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak, at the White House to strengthen the Comprehensive Partnership between the two countries as they mark the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations.”
Corruption accusations against PM Najib Razak
PM Najib Razak faces many corruption accusations in Malaysia. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was imprisoned after a conviction of sodomy. Anwar openly questioned 1MDB. Several newspapers have been suspended, and the Malaysian Prime Minister pushed the National Security Council Bill through legislation, which gave him unprecedented powers.
The Malaysian PM is known as a violator of human rights and is friendly with North Korea. Opponents say the Prime Minister is reversing democracy in Malaysia.
The US Department of Justice is currently seizing items supposedly purchased with the misappropriated funds including jewelry given to Australian model Miranda Kerr, artwork given to Leonardo DiCaprio, and a megayacht called the Equanimity.
The investigation by US authorities left Malaysians speculating whether the Najib Razak would be arrested if he stepped foot on American soil.
PM Najib Razak stays at Trump International Hotel
It appears that the Malaysian PM Najib Razak is staying at the Trump International Hotel during his stay in the nation’s capital, although White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee would not confirm it.
She stated, “We certainly don’t book their hotel reservations.” The Washington Post reports that the Malaysian PM and his entourage were seen coming and going from the hotel as well as using some of the hotel’s meeting rooms. An event this size would probably mean hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue for the Trump Organization.
