EVEN by the usual standards of regime change in Malaysia‎, the rate and speed at which the rich and mighty have deserted Najib Razak has been amazing.

On Saturday, only one businessman visited the former prime minister at his home in Jalan Duta‎. This businessman is not one of those on the rich list of corporate Malaysia but he became successful during the Najib years and was keen to show some loyalty.

The corporate figures, who became super rich under the Najib administration, and the heads of government-linked companies, who enjoyed being tagged as Najib’s boys, were nowhere to be seen.

Indeed, many of them were busy rubbishing Najib and Rosmah Mansor and spinning stories of oppression and duress even to the most peripheral player in Dr Mahathir’s administration.

The sudden desire to put distance between them and Najib is understandable: regime change in Malaysia can be very painful for politicians, businessmen and friends associated with the losers.

After Abdullah Ahmad Badawi left office in early 2009 following Barisan Nasional’s poor performance in GE12, businessmen close to him were starved of opportunities while politicians aligned to him were sidelined.

The punitive measures were even more severe for Anwar Ibrahim’s followers after his ouster, with many having to flee the country.

Fearful of being punished for being Najib’s men, many top businessmen have cut off all communication with him.‎ 

It has been a lighting-quick fall from grace for Najib. He is virtually a prisoner in his own home. His wife is by his side and so is his favourite son, Ashman. But it is understood that his daughter and her Kazakh husband left the country just after polling day on May 9.

Those who have met or spoken to Najib in recent days says that he is still in shock over the stunning rebuff by Malaysians. He is also struggling to deal with the desertion of friends ‎and the fact that many want him in handcuffs and behind bars.

His two usual sounding boards – Paul Stadlen and Habibul Rahman – left Malaysia on Thursday when it became evident that last-minute attempts by Najib to cobble together a coalition and stay in power were doomed. 

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has instructed the authorities to impose a travel ban on Najib and his wife, citing the many complaints against them for corruption and other alleged offences.

Malaysia Decides understands that Najib only learnt of the travel ban, as he and his wife were speeding in a Toyota Vellfire to catch a flight out to Jakarta on Friday night after he attended a prayer session to commemorate Umno’s anniversary.

After learning of the travel ban and getting a call to say that the private jet was not available, he returned home.

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and other senior Umno leaders expected Najib to announce his resignation as party president on Friday night. Instead, Najib told them that he would make an announcement after a few days of rest.

He never mentioned anything about leaving the country. 

So the Umno bigwigs were surprised to learn the next day that Najib and Rosmah had tried to leave for Jakarta for a few days of rest and recreation.

To ensure a smooth handover and for peace to prevail in Umno, Zahid approached Najib and urged him to announce his resignation as Umno president on Saturday. By doing so, Najib was spared planned press conferences by Wanita Umno and Umno Youth to publicly call for his head.

So what’s next for Najib? 

He is hoping that some foreign leaders can broker a deal that will allow him to leave Malaysia. Najib knows that without foreign intervention, he will have to face a trial and possibly a jail term for alleged wrongdoing related to the 1MDB scandal.

Those familiar with Dr Mahathir’s thinking say that he is not relishing humiliating the man he supported for the top job in Malaysia.  

But he understands that one of Pakatan Harapan’s promises in the election campaign was to right the wrongs done by Najib.

Dr Mahathir knows that many Malaysians want to see Najib punished and he will have to deliver. 

In the meantime, Najib waits like a prisoner on death row. – May 14, 2018.