UMNO's Crowdfunding for Najib's Fine Draws Over RM1 Million — and a Flood of Mockery

UMNO's campaign to raise RM50 million for former prime minister Najib Razak's fine has collected more than RM1 million as of September 20, even as the effort triggered a wave of public anger and online ridicule.

Family gratitude amid public fury

Najib's daughter, Nooryana Najwa, said the former UMNO president was deeply moved by the willingness of supporters to contribute toward the fine — a condition for him to serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest. "Daddy really did not expect so many people to be willing to contribute," she posted on Instagram on September 20. Nooryana also serves as information chief of UMNO's young women's wing, Puteri.

Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor, wrote on Facebook the same day that supporters from countries including Singapore, Brunei, Italy, and Canada had reached out to express their desire to donate. "Today, I realise who our friends are, those who have stood by us through good times and bad," she said.

But alongside the expressions of support, UMNO and Najib faced intense backlash from Malaysians incensed by the prospect of his house arrest.

Micro-donations as insults

UMNO had circulated bank account details for the Najib Razak Solidarity Fund. Critics seized the opportunity to send tiny transfers — often just one or five sen — accompanied by derogatory messages in the transaction reference field. Screenshots circulating on social media showed donors labeling Najib with the Malay slur "bapak sakau negara," roughly translating to "Malaysian father of embezzlement." Other messages referenced past allegations tied to the 1MDB scandal.

Some took the mockery further, sharing edited screenshots falsely claiming to have paid the full RM50 million, or asserting that fugitive financier Jho Low — accused alongside Najib in the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal — had transferred RM51 million.

House arrest preparations and political fallout

A mobile police station was scheduled for deployment outside Najib's Kuala Lumpur residence on September 21 as authorities prepared for his transfer from Kajang Prison.

The move has already sparked political consequences. Transport Minister Anthony Loke of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) resigned on September 19. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim clarified on September 20 that the final pardon decision rests with the state ruler or the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. He noted that every prisoner may petition the Pardons Board, and that the prime minister's advice and the attorney-general's views are considered — but stressed his advice did not amount to a recommendation for Najib's pardon and would not affect his other ongoing cases.

"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 was quoted as saying.

Conditional pardon and frozen assets

UMNO launched the solidarity fund after Najib received a conditional pardon on September 18, allowing him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest upon payment of the RM50 million fine. Speaking through his lawyer, Najib said he remains in prison until the fine is paid, noting that a significant portion of his assets, bank accounts, and properties remain frozen under government enforcement orders.

Opposition criticism

Political opponents have sharply questioned the crowdfunding drive. Fadhli Umar Aminolhuda, youth chief of Parti Amanah Negara, asked on September 19 why UMNO had mobilized its grassroots for Najib rather than focusing on recovering losses linked to 1MDB.

Johor DAP vice-chief Sheikh Omar Ali used a village analogy to make a similar 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?"