Former Malaysian Prime Minister and His Wife Banned from Leaving the Country

Najib Razak, the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, has been banned from leaving the country following a decisive defeat by Mahathir Mohamad's coalition. He resigned from the leadership of his coalition on Saturday. The travel ban for the former Prime Minister and his wife was issued after their flight plans to Indonesia were revealed on social media. Opponents had warned on social media that the former Prime Minister might flee the country to avoid prosecution. On Saturday, angry opponents gathered at Kuala Lumpur Airport to prevent Najib Razak and his controversial wife, Rosmah Mansor, from leaving. Following these protests, the Malaysian immigration department announced that Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah were banned from leaving the country. After the flight plan was disclosed, Najib Razak stated that he only intended to go abroad for a 'short rest' after the elections. He tweeted that he had been informed that he and his family were banned from leaving the country. The defeat of Najib Razak's coalition by the 92-year-old Mahathir Mohamad has transformed the political landscape of Malaysia. Najib Razak resigned from the leadership of his coalition on Saturday. The transfer of $681 million to Najib Razak's personal account is one of the major accusations against the former Prime Minister, and opponents have long called for his resignation. However, the Malaysian Attorney General acquitted Najib Razak of the charges in 2016, stating that the amount was a gift from the Saudi royal family. Najib Razak dismissed the prosecutor who had previously initiated investigations into this matter and appointed a new Attorney General aligned with himself. Now, Mahathir Mohamad, whose coalition has won the elections, has called for a review of this case. Najib Razak established the Malaysian Development Fund in 2009 to transform part of Kuala Lumpur into a financial center and boost the country's economy. The fate of this state fund is now heavily indebted and facing serious corruption allegations. The U.S. Department of Justice claims that $3.5 billion has been embezzled from this fund. Najib Razak is accused of having approximately $700 million from this money deposited into his personal account. He has denied this accusation until his appointed prosecutor declared him innocent in 2016. Rosmah Mansor, the former Prime Minister's wife, is also an unpopular figure among many Malaysian citizens due to her extravagant lifestyle and use of state resources. An Australian once referred to her as the 'First Lady of Shopping' when she spent tens of thousands of dollars in a store in Australia. In another development, Nurul Izzah, the daughter of Anwar Ibrahim, Mahathir Mohamad's former deputy, announced that her father would be released from prison on Tuesday. This Malaysian politician, who was once an ally of Mahathir Mohamad, has been in prison due to sexual allegations against him.