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| Malaysia protests against PM Najib Razak draw thousands | Malaysia protests against PM Najib Razak draw thousands |
| (1 day later) | |
| Tens of thousands of Malaysians protested over the weekend in the capital Kuala Lumpur and elsewhere, calling for Prime Minister Najib Razak to step down over a financial scandal. | |
| The protesters are angered by a $700m (£455m) payment made to his bank account from unnamed foreign donors. | |
| It was discovered last month during a probe into alleged mismanagement at the debt-laden state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). | It was discovered last month during a probe into alleged mismanagement at the debt-laden state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). |
| Mr Najib has denied any wrongdoing. | Mr Najib has denied any wrongdoing. |
| The rally began on Saturday and continued into Sunday. The pro-democracy group Bersih has also called for protests in the cities of Kota Kinabalu and Kuching on the Malaysian side of Borneo. | |
| Protesters in yellow T-shirts sang the national anthem Negaraku to end the rally at the stroke of midnight, when the country started celebrating National Day - 58 years since independence. | |
| Kuala Lumpur authorities rejected an application from Bersih for a permit and Malaysian police declared the rallies illegal. Access to Kuala Lumpur's Independence Square was blocked. | |
| At the last big rally in 2012, police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse protesters. | At the last big rally in 2012, police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse protesters. |
| Why Malaysians are disillusioned with Najib Razak | Why Malaysians are disillusioned with Najib Razak |
| Estimates put the number of protesters in Kuala Lumpur at 50,000 to 80,000, though figures issued by the police suggested much lower numbers. | Estimates put the number of protesters in Kuala Lumpur at 50,000 to 80,000, though figures issued by the police suggested much lower numbers. |
| A carnival atmosphere, punctuated by music, vuvuzelas and political speeches, prevailed in the city centre. | A carnival atmosphere, punctuated by music, vuvuzelas and political speeches, prevailed in the city centre. |
| The leader of Bersih, Maria Chin, said the protest was not anti-government. | The leader of Bersih, Maria Chin, said the protest was not anti-government. |
| "We don't want to topple the government but we want to topple corrupt politicians," she told the Malaysian Insider. | "We don't want to topple the government but we want to topple corrupt politicians," she told the Malaysian Insider. |
| The demonstrations coincide with preparations for National Day on Monday - the former British colony's 58th anniversary of independence. | |
| Mr Najib said on his blog he did not want a "provocation" to be triggered. | Mr Najib said on his blog he did not want a "provocation" to be triggered. |
| He said: "Whatever the disagreements or misunderstandings between us, National Day should not be a stage of political disputes." | He said: "Whatever the disagreements or misunderstandings between us, National Day should not be a stage of political disputes." |
| Significant support | Significant support |
| The main accusation against Mr Najib is that he took $700m from the indebted 1MDB, which he established in 2009 to try to turn Kuala Lumpur into a financial hub. | The main accusation against Mr Najib is that he took $700m from the indebted 1MDB, which he established in 2009 to try to turn Kuala Lumpur into a financial hub. |
| Cabinet ministers have said the money transfers were "political donations" from unidentified Middle Eastern sources, and that there was nothing improper. No further details have been given. | Cabinet ministers have said the money transfers were "political donations" from unidentified Middle Eastern sources, and that there was nothing improper. No further details have been given. |
| 1MDB has said it has never given money to the prime minister and called the accusations "unsubstantiated". | 1MDB has said it has never given money to the prime minister and called the accusations "unsubstantiated". |
| The prime minister retains significant support from the long-ruling Barisan Nasional coalition and from within his party, the United Malays National Organisation. | The prime minister retains significant support from the long-ruling Barisan Nasional coalition and from within his party, the United Malays National Organisation. |
| What is 1MDB? | What is 1MDB? |
| • The 1Malaysia Development Berhad state investment fund was established under Prime Minister Najib Razak in 2009 to transform Malaysia into a high-income economy. | • The 1Malaysia Development Berhad state investment fund was established under Prime Minister Najib Razak in 2009 to transform Malaysia into a high-income economy. |
| • Critics say the fund overpaid for many of its investments and spent millions on fees to investment bank Goldman Sachs | • Critics say the fund overpaid for many of its investments and spent millions on fees to investment bank Goldman Sachs |
| • It began attracting attention at the end of 2014 when it started missing payments to creditors. It later emerged that the fund was mired in $11bn (£7bn) of debt. | • It began attracting attention at the end of 2014 when it started missing payments to creditors. It later emerged that the fund was mired in $11bn (£7bn) of debt. |
| • Mr Najib has been accused of taking $700m from the fund - a charge which he has denied. | • Mr Najib has been accused of taking $700m from the fund - a charge which he has denied. |
| • Malaysia anti-corruption commission said it had verified that the money was a donation from unnamed foreign donors. | • Malaysia anti-corruption commission said it had verified that the money was a donation from unnamed foreign donors. |
| Read more: 1MDB, the case that's riveting Malaysia | Read more: 1MDB, the case that's riveting Malaysia |