IN Pekan, the royal town of Pahang, Najib Razak will always be innocent, no matter the outcome of his corruption trial that is expected to begin tomorrow for allegedly stealing funds from a former 1Malaysia Development Bhd subsidiary, SRC International Sdn Bhd.

Besides the seven charges for this case, the former prime minister faces 35 others for corruption, money-laundering and tampering of an audit report, all related to the state investment fund while he was prime minister.

Long-time residents of Pekan, where Najib is MP and Umno division chief, said they cannot believe the charges against him and will only be able to if they “see for themselves” that Najib took millions from 1MDB.

Rahimah Harun, 45, has watched Najib’s house, just 500m from her food stall.

She said she has witnessed his “countless” efforts to help the needy in the constituency and for this reason, said she cannot believe the corruption charges against him.

“I was shocked when I heard that Najib will be tried in court. I believe he is innocent and the accusations against him are false,” said the Pekan-born woman to The Malaysian Insight on a visit to the constituency ahead of Najib’s trial.

Rahimah said the charges against Najib are “made up” by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

They can’t be true, she said, because Najib was respected in his hometown and had given his best for the people here.

“He has done many things for us here. He developed Pekan since he was the menteri besar and when he was the prime minister,” she added.

It is hard for Pekan folk to see Najib, 65, in any other light, as the former prime minister is almost synonymous with the town.

He has been its MP since 1976 at age of 23, replacing his father, the country’s second prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein. To locals, he has only ever been their leader and they cannot imagine his fall from grace.

Johari Mohamad, 59, said the people in Pekan owe Najib a lot for all he has done for them.

Even if the court finds him guilty, Johari said Pekan folk would still support Najib.

“He is like family to us. He belongs to us, his father was a very respected leader and if he is guilty, we as a family will not abandon him.

“No one is perfect but I will not going to believe that he stole the 1MDB money unless I see the money for myself, and that he stole it with his own hands,” said Johari.

Najib, who faces 42 charges in total, faces the first charges involving RM42 million siphoned off SRC International.

He will make history as the first Malaysian prime minister to be charged and tried.

This fact saddens Yusnani Mohd Yusof, who said she felt sorry for Najib.

“I cannot even imagine looking at him in court, as if he is guilty. I am sad, sad to see how he is now. He has gotten thinner,” the 40-year-old single mother said.

However, Lailatul Fahmi Abu Bakar, 30, holds a different view, saying younger people in Pekan are less sentimental about Najib and are eagerly anticipating the trial. 

The younger set want Najib to be tried, she said.

“Most of my friends who are 30 to 40 years old they have a different perspective and they want the government to take action on the 1MDB case,” said the executive officer who works in Kuala Lumpur.

Lailatul admitted that the age difference between her friends and older Pekan residents can be the reason they feel differently about Najib and his charges.

Although innocent until proven guilty, she said, the charges show that Najib has “lost his credibility and is no longer capable to lead”. – February 11, 2019.