UMNO's Fundraising Campaign for Najib Razak's Fine Flooded With 1-Sen Protest Donations

A crowdfunding effort launched by Malaysia's UMNO party to help former Prime Minister Najib Razak cover a RM50 million fine has drawn both genuine support and a wave of online ridicule, with critics sending token donations of just one sen as a pointed insult.

The fund had raised over RM1 million (approximately S$313,000) by September 20. Najib's daughter, Nooryana Najwa, said her father was touched by the outpouring of support. "Daddy really did not expect so many people to be willing to contribute," she wrote on Instagram.

Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor, added that well-wishers from Singapore, Brunei, Italy, Italy, and Canada had reached out to express their willingness to help.

Micro-Donations Used to Mock Former PM

However, the campaign quickly became a magnet for public anger. Screenshots shared widely on social media showed transfers of as little as one or five sen into the Najib Razak Solidarity Fund. Because bank transfers allow donors to include a message, many used the field to hurl insults at the former leader.

Among the most common taunts was the Malay slang term "bapak sakau negara," roughly translating to "the country's father of embezzlement." Other donors referenced past criminal allegations linked to Najib.

Some went further, posting doctored screenshots purporting to show a full RM50 million payment to Najib. One fake image claimed fugitive financier Jho Low—who is accused alongside Najib in the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal—had transferred RM51 million.

House Arrest Preparations Spark Political Fallout

The fundraising drive comes as Najib prepares to transfer from Kajang Prison to house arrest, a condition tied to the RM50 million fine. A mobile police station was set to be stationed outside his Kuala Lumpur residence on September 21 ahead of the move.

The situation has already triggered political consequences. Transport Minister Anthony Loke of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) resigned from his post on September 19 over the matter.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the final decision on any pardon rests with the Malaysian king or a state ruler. He stressed that every prisoner has the right to petition the Pardons Board and that the prime minister's advice must be considered—but clarified that he had not recommended Najib be pardoned.

"I continued to remind them about the cases that are still ongoing. I also reminded them that the fine was too large and that the impact on public confidence in the system and international perception must be taken into account," Anwar said.

Opposition Parties Question the Campaign

Najib has said through his lawyer that he remains behind bars until the fine is paid, but noted that much of his wealth is still subject to government freezing orders and enforcement proceedings, making payment difficult.

Political opponents have sharply criticized the crowdfunding effort. Parti Amanah Negara's youth wing chief, Fadhli Umar Aminolhuda, questioned why UMNO was mobilizing grassroots support for Najib's fine rather than pursuing recovery of funds lost in the 1MDB scandal.

Johor DAP vice-chief Sheikh Omar Ali offered a village analogy to drive home the point: "The money of the villagers was misused, and he was punished for taking it… and now the villagers are being asked to help pay the fine from their own pockets. What kind of lesson is this that we are teaching the people?"