NEWS of former prime minister Najib Razak’s arrest this afternoon spread like wildfire around the world and in cyberspace, as social media users shared the latest development.

“It’s going to be all about Malaysian news for the rest of the night,” Twitter user Edrei “The Great Library of Alexa” Zahari said in his post to his non-Malaysian followers. 

“@NajibRazak’s arrest is Malaysia’s equivalent to Trump elected out of the office, then arrested for scamming the country,” he said in his tweet via his handle @Kamigoroshi.

Najib, who has been under investigation over the multi-billion ringgit 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal since he and Barisan Nasional lost federal power in the May 9 general election, was picked up at his Jalan Langgak Duta home earlier this afternoon by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers.

He will be brought to the Kuala Lumpur High Court tomorrow where he will face several charges under the Penal Code, Anti-Money Laundering Act and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act.

Bawangst noted how the former leader of the party that ruled Malaysia for 61 years until 57 days ago, was arrested by the same authorities he had controlled.

“And (he) will soon be charged for corruption. How the mighty have fallen. Most probably the first of many,” said the Twitter user, who tweets with the handle @bawangst.

PKR vice-president and former Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli said he hoped for justice and for Najib to be treated kindly, as he was once the prime minister.

“I was among his fiercest critics. But I pray that he is accorded kindness and treated with dignity befitting a former PM.

“I pray justice prevails in the end. That’s what I fought for #reformasi.”

Yoong (@pseudolokun) has little sympathy, cheekily asking if Najib’s stepson Riza Aziz and former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who were hauled up by MACC today, had snitched on him.

Riza, Rosmah Mansor’s son from a previous marriage, was accused of being one of the beneficiaries of the billions siphoned off 1MDB.

It was alleged that some of the money went to The Wolf of Wall Street, a film produced by Red Granite Pictures, which Riza co-founded.

“Maybe Najib should snitch back on Rosmah. Ask for better treatment in jail, maybe some chocolates every month #TangkapNajib,” Yoong tweeted, referring to Najib’s complaint that policemen helped themselves to food and chocolates from the refrigerator at the home of one of his children during a raid in May.

Civil liberties lawyer Michelle Yesudas (@chelle_yesudas) said for the first time in history, the popular hashtag #TangkapNajib was directing social media users to Najib’s actual arrest, not the arrests of activists calling for investigations into the former prime minister during the BN administration.

She tagged the activists Azira Aziz (@ladymissazira), former student activist Adam Adli Abdul Halim (@AdamAdli) and Bersih steering committee member Jay Jay Denis (@jayjaydenis) in the tweet.

“So Najib was arrested on your birthday! @AdamAdli,” she added.

Several Twitter users remarked on the coincidence of the day of arrest.

“Najib arrested. Not just any Tuesday, but on the 3rd anniversary of the day the 1MDB story broke,” Imam Kuda (@napiez) tweeted.

A number of Twitter users responded to the news of the arrest by posting graphics interchange formats (GIFs).

AZFAR (@cepokski) and mal (@akmldnl99) posted a GIF with the text “Oh, my God! Okay, it’s happening!” while syzmansoor (@syzwnmnsoor) posted a GIF of a clapping Vladimir Putin.

On Facebook, the news caught many by surprise. They thought the news was too good to be true until more updates came.

Then, they began talking about popping Champagne over the best news of the year, asking for pictures showing the fallen leader in handcuffs, and how orange has become the colour of the year. (Orange is the colour of the MACC lock-up garb.)

Loh Keefai said: “Finally…. DSN (Najib) arrested. We celebrate tonight. MACC to ensure he is put behind bars for good. What about the wife & warlords????”

Kelvin Imban (@ibiin_krikkrik) had two simple words for the former prime minister – “bye bye”.

Another Facebook user Yaakob Osman asked if anyone would organise a candlelight vigil for Najib.

“Spending the night in the lockup. Tomorrow to be charged in court. Who’s going to gather and light the candles tonight?” he said. – July 3, 2018.