00:00The 1MDB initiative, which later became one of the world's biggest financial scandals,
00:07was initially praised by two-time Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, as revealed in Leslie
00:11Lopez's book, The Siege Within.
00:15Former Prime Minister Najib Razak's push for mega-projects, including 1MDB, had won
00:19quiet praise from Mahathir, Lopez wrote.
00:23He added that Mahathir reportedly told associates the sovereign wealth fund was a novel way
00:28to finance development through foreign investments.
00:32Mahathir had also treated his own successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, very differently, attacking
00:36him openly, which led to a decline in support from Malaysia's business elite.
00:41Najib became the country's sixth Prime Minister in 2009, following Abdullah's resignation
00:45after Barisan Nasional's poor performance in the 2008 election.
00:50Lopez wrote that Mahathir's tacit support of Najib boosted confidence in his administration,
00:55with businessmen believing it would have longevity.
00:57However, the 1MDB scandal was soon uncovered by the media, and one of Lopez's stories,
01:03The Big Gamble, deeply unsettled Najib and his camp, as it touched on concerns that 1MDB
01:09could become a political issue within UMNO.
01:12The Siege Within is currently on sale and can be purchased online at Kinokuniya, Litbooks
01:17and Amazon Singapore.
01:19Danish Fakir Reza, FMT News.
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