Najib has option to seek pardon or appeal 1MDB conviction, say lawyers

FMT:

Najib has option to seek pardon or appeal 1MDB conviction, say lawyers

6 hours ago
V Anbalagan

However, they say the former prime minister will need to waive his right to appeal in order to apply for a pardon

On Friday, the Putrajaya High Court sentenced Najib Razak to 15 years in prison and fined him RM11.4 billion in his 1MDB corruption case. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Najib Razak, who has been found guilty for the second time for corruption, has the option to file for a pardon or appeal his conviction in the 1MDB case, lawyers said.

They said Najib, 72, could apply for full clemency, but an appeal to set aside the conviction and sentence in the 1MDB case would take another two to three years if the matter went up to the Federal Court.

However, to apply for a pardon, Najib would have to waive his right to appeal, the lawyers said.


Najib’s lawyer, Shafee Abdullah, had indicated to 1MDB trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah that his client intends to appeal the conviction and sentence.


Najib has 14 days to file a notice of appeal.


Sequerah found Najib guilty of four charges of abuse of power and 21 charges for money laundering over funds totalling RM2.28 billion deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.

He sentenced Najib to 15 years’ jail, and imposed a fine of about RM11.4 billion.

Sequerah ordered the 1MDB prison term to begin only after the end of Najib’s six-year jail term in the RM42 million SRC International case on Aug 23, 2028.

Lawyer Abdul Rashid Ismail said the Prisons Act and regulations did not impose a time limit to bar an applicant from filing for royal clemency.


“The law only states that a petition could be made ‘as soon as practicable’,” he said.

Lawyer Kitson Foong said Najib would not be able to make an application to the Federal Territories Pardons Board if he chooses to exhaust the appeal process.

“One cannot file an application for pardon and at the same time file an appeal. A convict’s petition for mercy only begins after his legal right ends,” he added.

On Dec 22, the Kuala Lumpur High Court refused to issue a mandamus order to compel the government to move Najib from Kajang prison and allow him to serve the remainder of his jail term for the SRC International case at home.


Lawyer A Srimurugan said Najib could also file a second pardon application for the SRC International case as the law did not prevent an applicant to do so.

“It also depends on the written opinion on a pardon given by the attorney-general, as provided for under Article 42(9) of the Federal Constitution, when the king presides over a pardon board’s meeting,” he said.

Srimurugan cited the case of former minister Mokhtar Hashim, who was convicted for the 1982 murder of then Gemencheh assemblyman Taha Talib. Mokhtar’s death sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment by the Negeri Sembilan Pardons Board.

The lawyer added that Mokhtar subsequently applied for clemency, which resulted in his sentence being further reduced to a fixed prison term, ultimately leading to his release in 1991.

Security tight at Istana Arau as Perlis prepares to swear in new menteri besar amid political fallout

Security tight at Istana Arau as Perlis prepares to swear in new menteri besar amid political fallout



Istana Arau has drawn media attention, reportedly to cover the swearing-in ceremony of the new Perlis Menteri Besar. — Bernama pic

Sunday, 28 Dec 2025 1:01 PM MYT


ARAU, Dec 28 — Istana Arau has drawn media attention, reportedly to cover the swearing-in ceremony of the new Perlis Menteri Besar.

Media practitioners, arriving from 11.30am, were allowed into the palace’s secured parking area.

Police were stationed at the palace’s main entrance and several nearby junctions leading to Istana Arau.

The appointment of Perlis’ 12th Menteri Besar follows the voluntary resignation of Mohd Shukri Ramli, the Sanglang assemblyman, on December 25 due to health reasons.

On the same day, Perlis State Legislative Assembly Speaker Rus’sele Eizan announced vacancies in the Chuping, Bintong and Guar Sanji seats under Article 50A(1)(a)(ii) of the Perlis State Constitution.

The unexpected vacancies followed PAS’s announcement on Dec 24 that the party membership of three assemblymen, namely Saad Seman (Chuping), Fakhrul Anwar Ismail (Bintong) and Mohd Ridzuan Hashim (Guar Sanji), had been terminated after they withdrew support for Mohd Shukri.

In the 15th General Election, Perikatan Nasional won 14 of Perlis’ 15 state seats, nine for PAS, five for Bersatu, while Pakatan Harapan, through PKR, secured one seat. — Bernama

What my visitor TS, a Satanyahu acolyte, has been doing, wakakaka

 

TS also includes anti China kerbau, wakakaka and pro MAGA and pro Nippon murderers propaganda

😂😂😂

Iran president says US, Israel and Europe waging total war against Tehran

Iran president says US, Israel and Europe waging total war against Tehran



Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that United States, Israel and Europe were waging “total war” against his country. — Reuters file pic

Sunday, 28 Dec 2025 9:22 AM MYT


TEHRAN, Dec 28 — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in an interview published yesterday that the United States, Israel and Europe were waging “total war” against his country.

“In my opinion, we are at total war with the United States, Israel and Europe. They want to bring our country to its knees,” Pezeshkian told the official site of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, six months after Israel and the US launched strikes on Iran.


France, Britain and Germany were behind the reimposition of UN sanctions on Iran in September connected to its nuclear programme.

“This war is worse than the one launched against us by Iraq. On closer inspection, it is far more complex and difficult,” he added, referring to the 1980-88 conflict between the neighbouring countries that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.


The United States and its allies accuse Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, a claim Tehran has repeatedly denied.


Sworn enemies Israel and Iran engaged in a 12-day war in June, triggered by an unprecedented Israeli attack on Iranian military and nuclear sites, as well as civilian areas.

The strikes resulted in more than 1,000 casualties, according to Iranian authorities.


The United States later joined the operation, bombing three nuclear sites.

Washington’s involvement brought a halt to negotiations that began in April with Tehran over its nuclear programme.

Since returning to the White House in January, US President Donald Trump has revived his so-called “maximum pressure” policy against Iran, initiated during his first term.

That has included additional sanctions designed to economically cripple the country and dry up its oil revenues from sales on the global market. — AFP pic

Malaysia Army chief on leave pending MACC probe, Navy chief named acting Armed Forces chief after Nizam retires

Malaysia Army chief on leave pending MACC probe, Navy chief named acting Armed Forces chief after Nizam retires



The Defence Ministry today instructed Army chief General Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan to go on leave with immediate effect to allow investigations into certain allegations. — Bernama pic

Saturday, 27 Dec 2025 1:57 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 — The Defence Ministry today instructed Army chief General Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan to go on leave with immediate effect to allow investigations into allegations of money laundering.

The ministry said the administrative measure was taken to ensure the probe proceeds smoothly without any conflict of interest, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said in a statement.

He also announced the immediate appointment of Navy commander Admiral Tan Sri Zulhelmy Ithnain as acting Malaysian Armed Forces chief following the retirement of General Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar, who reached the mandatory retirement age.

Khaled said Zulhelmy will assume the duties of Armed Forces chief with immediate effect.


The ministry expressed its highest appreciation for Mohd Nizam’s service, leadership and contributions during his tenure.

It also conveyed its wishes for the smoothness of his retirement affairs.

Bernama reported that activist Badrul Hisham Shaharin, better known as Chegubard, alleged a senior Armed Forces officer was involved in money laundering.


Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Tan Sri Azam Baki confirmed that a probe under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009 is in progress.

MACC officers visited the Defence Ministry last Tuesday, focusing their checks on procurement projects carried out through open tenders under the Army’s Pusat Tanggungjawab (PTJ).

The investigation, which began on December 23, found 158 projects worth more than RM500,000 and 4,521 projects below that threshold between 2023 and 2025.

Preliminary findings showed several companies repeatedly secured high-value contracts, raising concerns.

As of December 24, MACC had recorded statements from three individuals to assist the investigation.

My struggle is not to evade responsibility, but uphold justice: Najib

My struggle is not to evade responsibility, but uphold justice: Najib

Published: Dec 26, 2025 11:14 PM
Updated: 2:27 AM


After more than seven long years charting the rise and collapse of Malaysia’s most infamous financial scandal, former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak was today convicted on all charges by the High Court in Putrajaya.

Najib was then sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for each of his four counts of abuse of power in the 1MDB case, and five years for each of the 21 money laundering charges.

In what is likely the longest sentencing hearing to date, presiding judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah delivered the sentences, not before issuing sharp rebukes against the former prime minister, in proceedings that began as whispers of irregular fund transfers and swelled into a global scandal that ultimately cost Najib both his office and his political dominance.

The former Pekan MP’s lead defence counsel, Shafee Abdullah, announced that he would be filing an appeal against the convictions on Monday.

He looks forward to presenting the case before the Court of Appeal, citing multiple “blunders” in the verdict delivered by Sequerah.

Collin Lawrence Sequerah


At the same press conference after the sentencing, Shafee also read out a letter written by the convicted Najib, which Malaysiakini has reproduced in full below after translating it from Bahasa Malaysia to English:

Brothers and sisters whom I respect,

I write this with a calm mind, even though my heart is heavy.

There are moments when I feel as though this struggle must be borne by me alone. Yet I remain resolute in continuing it - not out of vengeance, but out of principle. What I seek is merely the rights provided for by law and what has been duly granted.

My intention has never changed: to contribute to the development of the nation and the well-being of the people.

This struggle is not an attempt to evade responsibility. It is an endeavour to uphold justice, to defend the integrity of the Constitution, and to preserve the sovereignty of the rule of law, applied without fear or favour.

I will continue to assert my rights through lawful channels, with dignity and patience, even though the path is lonely and demands great sacrifice. Whatever today’s decision may be, I remain confident in the nation’s judicial process.

In this regard, I appeal to all Malaysians to remain calm, rational, and measured, and not to be influenced by or involved in any provocation that could undermine public harmony or demean the legal process. Differences of opinion should be expressed in a mature, orderly manner and grounded in the law.

I call upon all Malaysians to assess this matter calmly and rationally, not merely from the perspective of my fate as an individual, but for the sake of the future of our national institutions and the principles we collectively uphold.

Najib Abdul Razak

1MDB: Court finds Najib guilty on all 25 charges


1MDB verdict: Court rules Arab donation letters were forged


Judge: Najib 'no country bumpkin' to feign ignorance over 1MDB fraud


Najib, Jho Low had 'unmistakable bond': 1MDB trial judge


Najib's supporters in high spirits despite low turnout


Najib returns to prison for Friday prayers, court resumes at 3pm


Najib never interfered with 1MDB probes: Shafee tells court in mitigation


Najib gets 15 years' jail, RM11.38b fine for 1MDB


We'll file an appeal on Monday, Shafee says after 'losing all'

Puchong Umno ends ties with Harapan counterpart

Puchong Umno ends ties with Harapan counterpart


Published: Dec 27, 2025 10:15 AM
Updated: 1:15 PM


Puchong Umno has terminated the division’s cooperation with Puchong Harapan, citing DAP’s Puchong MP Yeo Bee Yin’s failure to apologise and retract her remarks against former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Puchong Umno secretary Yusof Yassin said the division’s move was made after a 24-hour deadline given to Yeo (above) during a year-end “celebration” hosted by Selangor Umno Youth at her service centre.

“This decision represents a firm political stance by Puchong Umno in the Puchong parliament seat, Seri Serdang state seat, and Seri Kembangan state seat levels to no longer cooperate with Puchong Harapan.

“As a form of protest and an effort to uphold party principles and dignity, without affecting national-level cooperation unless directed by the Umno or BN central leadership,” said Yusof in a statement yesterday.

Malaysiakini has reached out to Yeo for comments.

Cause for celebration

On Monday, a Selangor Umno Youth delegation led by state youth chief Imran Tamrin targeted Yeo’s comments describing Najib’s bid for house arrest hitting a legal brick wall as a cause for celebration.

Selangor Umno Youth chief Imran Tamrin


Puchong Umno Youth chief Khairul Azmil Bashir Mohamed, who submitted a memorandum received by one of Yeo’s officers, said failure to apologise would see his wing cut ties with its Puchong DAP counterpart.

Yusof said the termination of cooperation with Puchong Harapan means that Puchong Umno will no longer hold joint meetings, coordinate or organise any joint programmes, or cooperate in any election-related activities.

He said Puchong Umno will also no longer be bound by any agreement with Puchong Harapan and is free to take its own stand on all local issues.

“This decision does not mean Umno is leaving the unity government at the national or state level.

“It represents a local political stance, as long as it does not contradict decisions of the Umno supreme council or the BN leadership at the central level,” he said.

Yusof added that the Puchong Umno division, led by former Seri Serdang assemblyperson Satim Diman, is also unlikely to support any Harapan candidate for the Puchong parliamentary seat.

Najib's 'Arab donor' claim a forgery, but what about the proponents?

Najib's 'Arab donor' claim a forgery, but what about the proponents?


Published: Dec 27, 2025 7:00 AM
Updated: 12:15 PM


Summary

• Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah rules that the RM2.6 billion that flowed into Najib Abdul Razak’s account was falsely claimed as an Arab donation, but many who are in power today once defended that assertion.

• They include Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Azalina Othman Said, and Khairy Jamaluddin, who backed the former prime minister’s claim.

• Meanwhile, former minister Zaid Ibrahim expresses his disappointment at the aforementioned past and present senior Umno leaders, saying the judge “did a fine job” in demolishing the “Arab donor” narrative and delivering the guilty verdict.

In his verdict yesterday, judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah delivered a damning rejection of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s narrative that billions in his account were from an Arab donor.

At the height of the 1MDB scandal a decade ago, however, this narrative had many other proponents - some of whom are still holding office in senior government positions.

Among them is Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

In 2015, Zahid told delegates at an Umno divisional meeting that he had personally met the chief investment officer and wealth trustee of the Arab royal family allegedly behind the RM2.6 billion donation in Najib’s personal account.

“When I asked them why they donated US$700 million to Malaysia, they said, ‘Malaysia is not the only country we are channelling our money to. There are many more friendly Muslim countries to which we are donating.’

“They want Umno and BN to continue ruling the country.”

He also claimed to have seen the original documents of the transfer.

Azam’s confirmation

The MACC similarly described the funds as a donation, not from 1MDB. Moreover, Azam Baki told reporters on Dec 7 that year that its investigators had met with the supposed donor.

MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki

The MACC chief commissioner at the time was Abu Kassim Mohamed, while Azam was the investigation director at the time and has since taken over the top position.

The stance was echoed by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said, who told Parliament in 2016 that the MACC confirmed that the money came from a donation.

“In the RM2.6 billion case investigation, MACC had confirmed that the funds given to the prime minister personally indeed came from the Saudi royal family, based on testimonies by witnesses and supporting documents.

“Based on the overall facts and testimonies, the attorney-general was happy that there was no element of crime in these cases,” she said in a written reply.

Another proponent was former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

Khairy Jamaluddin


As the Umno Youth chief at the time, he had argued that the “political donation” into Najib’s account is not a crime and rallied party members to come to Najib’s defence.

‘A fine job by the judge’

Reflecting on the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s verdict, former minister Zaid Ibrahim questioned why Najib is the only person facing legal repercussions for lying about the origin of the money.

“I must admit, judge Sequerah did a fine job in finding the guilty verdict.

“But as an ordinary Umno member, I must say I am disappointed with leaders like Azalina and Zahid. They were the ones who told us that the donations from the Saudis were genuine.

“But Sequerah demolished all that. So Najib stays in Kajang for a long time, for telling a lie, and Zahid and Azalina remain as ministers for the same thing,” he wrote in his Facebook post yesterday.

Zaid Ibrahim


The court had dismissed the Arab donation letters presented by Najib’s defence team in his 1MDB trial as “forgeries”.

“(The) Arab donation narrative is not meritorious. The Arab donation letters were forgeries, and the evidence pointed unmistakably to the fact that the money was, in fact, derived from 1MDB funds.

“This court has found the Arab donation defence to be incapable of belief and has not succeeded in rebutting the presumption of gratification under Section 23 of the MACC Act,” the judge said in delivering his guilty verdict.

15 years’ jail, RM11.38b fine

The High Court had convicted Najib on all four counts of abuse of power and all 21 money laundering charges linked to the 1MDB scandal, and sentenced him to 15 years’ jail and an RM11.38 billion fine.

If he cannot pay the fine, the former prime minister will have to serve another 10 years in jail in default.

Najib was also ordered to pay over RM2 billion in sum recoverable for his 21 money laundering offences, and would have to serve an additional two and a half years in prison if he failed to pay.

The 1MDB jail sentences only start after he completes his current imprisonment term over the SRC International case, which is scheduled to end on Aug 23, 2028.

The former prime minister was charged with using his position to obtain gratification totalling RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds between Feb 24, 2011 and Dec 19, 2014, in violation of Section 23 of the MACC Act.

For the money laundering charges, the 21 offences for which Najib was convicted are nine counts of receiving proceeds of unlawful activity, five counts of using proceeds of unlawful activity, and seven counts of transferring proceeds of unlawful activity.

***

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said, who told Parliament in 2016 that the MACC confirmed that the money came from a donation.

“In the RM2.6 billion case investigation, MACC had confirmed that the funds given to the prime minister personally indeed came from the Saudi royal family, based on testimonies by witnesses and supporting documents.

“Based on the overall facts and testimonies, the attorney-general was happy that there was no element of crime in these cases,” she said in a written reply.

So the judge can completely IGNORE the MACC's findings???

Perlis crisis could force PAS to rethink PN ties, say analysts

FMT:

Perlis crisis could force PAS to rethink PN ties, say analysts

4 HOURS AGO
Dineskumar Ragu

Some see the crisis as a possible opening for PAS to revive the Muafakat Nasional pact with Umno, although practical obstacles remain

PAS may consider leaving PN over the recent political crisis in Perlis, two analysts say, although another believes the impasse is state-specific. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: The political crisis in Perlis, which saw former menteri besar Shukri Ramli resign in the wake of an ouster plot involving PAS and Bersatu colleagues, could force the Islamic party to reconsider its position in Perikatan Nasional (PN), say analysts.

Hisommudin Bakar.


Ilham Centre’s Hisommudin Bakar and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s Mazlan Ali said the impasse could strengthen the case for PAS to leave PN and realign with Umno under Muafakat Nasional (MN), the Malay-Muslim pact the two parties cofounded in 2019.

Hisomuddin said that PAS may feel betrayed by Perlis Bersatu, which sided with three PAS assemblymen in withdrawing support for Shukri. All three PAS assemblyman had their party membership terminated as a result.


“Ultimately, PAS failed to resolve this crisis at the negotiation table. The Perlis issue was not managed through a proper reconciliation framework between the PN component parties, and this crisis could well become the catalyst for a deeper fracture within PN,” he told FMT.

Mazlan Ali.


However, Mazlan said it remains uncertain whether PAS can realistically join forces with Umno, noting that much depends on future political developments.

The comments follow Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh’s call for PAS to leave PN and revive MN amid new tensions within the coalition, particularly over the Perlis menteri besar post.

MN was formed in 2019 to consolidate Malay political power after decades of rivalry between PAS and Umno. However, PAS later partnered with Bersatu to form PN in 2020, a move seen by Umno as a betrayal.

Attempts to integrate Bersatu into MN failed, and the pact eventually collapsed in December 2022 when Umno backed PKR president Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister after the 15th general election.

Syaza Shukri.


Syaza Shukri of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) argued that the Perlis crisis is largely state‑specific, reflecting trust and power struggles within PN, but said it does not justify PAS leaving the coalition.


“To quit PN and join Umno would put PAS squarely within a Malay-Muslim pact, and that would limit its attempt to reach out beyond its Malay base,” she said.

Hisomuddin pointed out that PAS and Umno both compete for the same Malay-majority seats, making a smooth alliance challenging.

“In the last general election, many of these seats were won by PAS. Given PAS’s political character, it is highly unlikely that the party would now surrender these seats to Umno,” he said.

Mazlan, on the other hand, said Umno is unlikely to leave the unity government, citing ongoing distrust of PAS and the previous collapse of MN.

“Umno is doing well now after joining the unity government with multiple wins scored by the party in recent by-elections,” he added.

PM Anwar vows to accelerate Sabah development under new state govt

PM Anwar vows to accelerate Sabah development under new state govt



Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim shakes hands with the public while attending the PMX Sayang Sabah Friendly Program with Community Leaders of the N44 Tulid State Legislative Assembly in Keningau November 16, 2025. — Bernama pic

Saturday, 27 Dec 2025 9:02 AM MYT




KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has emphasised that the Federal Government is determined to strengthen and accelerate Sabah’s development agenda following the formation of the new state government.

In a Facebook post yesterday, Anwar stated that these efforts will be realised through strategic investments, an inclusive economy, the enhancement of basic infrastructure, and the creation of quality job opportunities, aligning with the true potential of the “Land Below the Wind.”

“Sabah continues to move forward as a more developed and prosperous state under the MADANI government through the implementation of policies rooted in a commitment to MA63 (Malaysia Agreement 1963) and more effective infrastructure management…


“...as well as the empowerment of core sectors such as energy, tourism, modern agriculture, and the blue economy, alongside stronger guarantees of security and sovereignty,” he said.

According to the Prime Minister, all planned initiatives will be carried out with a spirit of togetherness, transparency, and responsibility to ensure that the benefits of development are shared equitably by the people of Sabah, including those in rural and interior areas. — Bernama

Festive Paris shaken by metro stabbing spree — three women wounded, suspect caught within hours

Festive Paris shaken by metro stabbing spree — three women wounded, suspect caught within hours



French police on Friday arrested a man suspected of stabbing three women in the Paris metro as the capital’s end-of-year festivities were in full swing. — AFP pic

Saturday, 27 Dec 2025 9:22 AM MYT


PARIS, Dec 27 — French police on Friday arrested a man suspected of stabbing three women in the Paris metro as the capital’s end-of-year festivities were in full swing, prosecutors told AFP.

The three victims were attacked at three different locations along the Line 3 metro track that runs across central Paris, the RATP authority that runs the transit service told AFP.



An AFP journalist at the Republique station saw a security team treating a woman who had been wounded in the leg and appeared to be in a state of shock.

The attacks happened between 4.15pm and 4.45pm at the stations Republique and Arts et Metiers — both next to the Marais district — and the Opera station, the RATP said.


“The victims were quickly taken care of by the emergency services,” it said.


Paris police said two of the women attacked were treated by the emergency services and taken to hospital, but they were not in critical condition. A third woman turned up at hospital seeking treatment, they added.

Police used surveillance-camera footage and mobile-tracking tools to locate the 25-year-old suspected attacker in the Val d’Oise region north of Paris, said prosecutors.


“Activating the geolocation of his mobile phone led to his arrest late afternoon in Val d’Oise,” they said.

“The police are on site. Back-up security teams have been deployed to reinforce safety on the line,” it added.

Transport police have opened an investigation into attempted homicide and assault with a weapon.

The Ministry of Interior said in a statement that man was a Malian citizen who had been imprisoned in January 2024 for aggravated theft and sexual assault convictions and had been required to leave France after being released in July.

The man had been placed in an administrative detention centre but failure to obtain a consular travel document required for his deportation had meant he was released after 90 days, as required by law, the statement said.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez “regrets that the deportation of the suspect could not be carried out” and assured that “efforts are continuing to prioritise the deportation of undocumented foreigners who have committed public order offences”, according to the ministry statement.

‘Maximum vigilance’

Paris police chief Patrice Faure paid tribute to “the reactivity and the mobilisation” of the investigators that led to the arrest of the suspect. Police arrested him at 6:55 pm, less than three hours after the first attack, he said.

Nunez congratulated the different police services involved in tracking down the suspect.

European capitals are especially vigilant during the end-of-year period for any violent incidents, given recent attacks and plots targeting festive or religious gatherings.

Last week, Nunez called for “maximum vigilance” in a message to senior officials.

Due to the “very high level of the terrorist threat” and “the risk of public disorder”, Nunez asked local officials to strengthen security measures across the country with a visible and deterrent presence.

Nunez specifically asked for particular attention to be paid to security on public transport. — AFP

After 1MDB conviction, Najib urges Malaysians to stay calm, vows to continue legal fight

After 1MDB conviction, Najib urges Malaysians to stay calm, vows to continue legal fight



Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s statement read out by his lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

Friday, 26 Dec 2025 10:45 PM MYT


PUTRAJAYA, Dec 26 ― Datuk Seri Najib Razak has called on Malaysians to remain calm after he was convicted and sentenced to jail by the High Court today after being found guilty of abuse of power and money laundering involving nearly RM2.2 billion in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case.

Najib, in a statement read out by his lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, said he would continue to fight for his rights through available legitimate channels.

“Regardless of today’s court outcome, I remain confident towards the nation’s judiciary.

“I therefore call upon all Malaysians to assess this matter calmly and rationally, not merely from the perspective of my fate as an individual, but for the sake of the future of the nation’s institutions and the principles that we uphold together,” he said.


Najib also said any differences in opinion has to be expressed maturely, orderly and in accordance with the law.

He then urged Malaysians not to be swayed or involved in any form of provocation that could disrupt public order or undermine the integrity of the judiciary.

In the statement, Najib also shared that he sometimes feels he must shoulder the burden of his struggles alone — not out of revenge, but based on principle.


“My intentions has never changed in that I want to contribute to the nation’s prosperity and the people’s harmony,” he said.

Earlier, Najib was sentenced to 15 years in jail and a RM11.38 billion fine by the High Court.

The court also ordered the jail sentences to run concurrently, with an additional 10 years’ imprisonment to be imposed if he fails to pay the fine for the four abuse of power charges he has been convicted.

He is currently serving a jail sentence in a separate case involving the misappropriation of RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd.

Najib is now about halfway through his six-year jail term, which will end in August 2028 or August 2029, depending on whether he pays the RM50 million fine imposed in the SRC case.

Ex-PM Najib gets concurrent 15-year jail terms, RM11.38b fine over 1MDB scandal

Ex-PM Najib gets concurrent 15-year jail terms, RM11.38b fine over 1MDB scandal



Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex July 7, 2025. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

Friday, 26 Dec 2025 9:32 PM MYT


PUTRAJAYA, Dec 26 ― Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has been sentenced to imprisonment and a fine by the High Court today after he was found guilty of abuse of power and money laundering involving nearly RM2.2 billion in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case.

Justice Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, the Federal Court judge who previously presided over the 1MDB trial at the High Court, said he had taken into consideration all of the mitigation arguments submitted by the defence and the prosecution, including public interest and deterrence.

For each of the four power abuse charges, Sequerah sentenced Najib to 15 years’ imprisonment and imposed the minimum statutory fine of five times the gratification amount, totalling RM11,387,888,067.05.

But this does not mean that Najib will have to serve a total of 60 years in jail, as Sequerah said the jail sentences will run concurrently, or at the same time.


Should Najib fail to pay the fine, Sequerah also imposed an additional 10 years’ imprisonment in default for each power abuse charge.

In addition, Sequerah ordered that the jail term runs consecutively, to commence after Najib completes his ongoing sentence in the SRC case, involving the misappropriation of RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd.

This means Najib will only begin serving the 15 years jail term from August 2028 the earliest or August 2029, depending on whether he pays the RM50 million fine imposed in the SRC case.


For the 21 money laundering charges, Sequerah sentenced Najib to five years’ imprisonment for each charge, to run concurrently. No fines were imposed.

Sequerah also ordered Najib to pay the recoverable sum of RM2,081,476,926 under Section 55(2) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act.

Should Najib fail to do so, he faces an additional jail term of two years and six months by default, to be served concurrently for the money laundering charges.

The sentencing, which began around 9.00am, concluded after nearly 12 hours of court proceedings that started at approximately 9.20am, with the court's findings taking about four and a half hours to be fully read out.

Despite the High Court’s decision, the ruling can still be appealed to the Court of Appeal and subsequently to the Federal Court.

As such, today’s ruling will likely not mark the end of the 1MDB case.

Najib, clad in a blue suit, appeared stoic yet defeated as the sentence was read out. Several members of his family were also present in court.

Najib’s lawyer, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, indicated to the court that they would appeal today’s decision.

Najib’s 25 charges

There are four abuse of power charges that Najib used his roles as prime minister, finance minister and chairman of 1MDB’s board of advisers to secure financial benefits totalling RM2.22 billion across four phases of the 1MDB scheme.

The four sums involved in the abuse of power charges are:

• RM60,629,839.43;
• RM90,899,927.28;
• RM2,081,476,926 (this RM2.08 billion is the money he is accused of laundering);
• RM44,570,920.70.

The remaining 21 charges all relate to alleged money laundering involving funds with illegal origins.

These funds were allegedly laundered through Najib’s personal AmIslamic bank account (Account 9694).

The breakdown of the 21 charges is as follows:

• Receiving US$681 million (RM2.08 billion) belonging to a 1MDB subsidiary, transferred from Tanore Finance Corporation’s account into Najib’s Account 9694 in nine transactions between March 22 and April 10, 2013.
• Issuing five cheques totalling RM22.649 million between August 2 and August 14, 2013 — namely RM20 million to Umno, RM100,000 to Umno Batu Kawan, and three cheques totalling RM2.549 million for speechwriting and social media management services.
• Transferring RM2.034 billion (US$620 million) in five transactions from Najib’s Account 9694 back to Tanore between August 2 and August 23, 2013.
• Transferring RM161.41 million in two transactions from Najib’s Account 9694 to his new personal AmIslamic bank account (Account 1880) on August 27 and August 30, 2013.

Japanese World War II Crimes and Atrocities in Malaya

From Wikipedia:

During World War II, the Japanese military inflicted widespread and severe abuse on both military personnel and civilians in Malaya (now peninsular Malaysia) and Singapore, which was then part of Malaya. The three-and-a-half-year occupation, from December 1941 to August 1945, was marked by systematic brutality, including massacres, torture, sexual slavery, and forced labor. 

Types of Abuse and Atrocities

• Massacres: The Japanese military conducted numerous mass killings. One of the most notorious was the Sook Ching massacre in Singapore, where tens of thousands of ethnic Chinese men were systematically killed. Other massacres of civilians occurred in towns like Kuala Pilah and Parit Sulong, where hundreds were bayoneted or machine-gunned to death.
• Sexual Slavery: The Imperial Japanese Army established "comfort stations" throughout occupied territories, including Malaya, where local women and girls were forced into sexual slavery. The victims, known as "comfort women," were from various ethnic backgrounds and endured repeated sexual assault and physical violence.

• Torture and Imprisonment: The Kempeitai, the Japanese military police, had virtually unlimited power and were notorious for their use of torture against uncooperative prisoners and civilians. Interrogation centers, such as those at the Malay College at Kuala Kangsar, were sites of severe abuse.
• Forced Labor: Allied prisoners of war (POWs) and local civilians were subjected to forced labor under horrific conditions. Many thousands were transported to work on projects like the Siam–Burma "Death Railway," where approximately 150,000 laborers died due to brutality, starvation, and disease.
• General Brutality: The Japanese military command's general disregard for international law and the dehumanization of their captives resulted in a high mortality rate among Allied POWs (estimated at around 70% in Japanese camps compared to 10% in German camps). Rapes, beatings, and the public execution of resisters were common tactics used to terrorize the local population into submission. 

These atrocities left a lasting legacy of trauma for survivors and their families, with some continuing to seek formal acknowledgement and compensation from the Japanese government decades after the war. 

War crimes

War crimes trial at Singapore

Members of the Kempeitai and camp guards were treated as prisoners of war because of their treatment of military and civilians. There were a number of war crimes trials. One held in 1947 found 7 Japanese officers guilty. Two were executed: Lieutenant Colonel Masayuki Oishi, commander of 2 Field Kempeitai and Lieutenant General Saburo Kawamura on 26 June 1947. Lieutenant General Takuma Nishimura, one of the five given life sentences, was later found guilty of the Parit Sulong Massacre by an Australian court and executed.

Captain Higashikawa, head of the Penang Branch of the Kempeitai, was executed. Higashikawa's actions were brutal enough for Captain S Hidaka, Penang Chief of Staff for the Imperial Japanese Navy, to raise the matter with Lieutenant-General Ishiguro. Ishiguro had Higashikawa transferred and replaced by Captain Terata.^[80]

Sergeant Eiko Yoshimura, the head of Kempeitai in Ipoh, was sentenced to death by hanging for the torture and abuse of civilians, including Sybil Kathigasu. Malay author Ahmad Murad Nasaruddin wrote a book, Nyawa di-hujong pědang, about her family's incarceration.

Others executed were Colonel Watanabe Tsunahiko, commander of the 11th Regiment by firing squad for his part in the Kuala Pilah massacre;^[38] and Captain Iwata Mitsugi, Second Lieutenant Goba Itsuto, and Second Lieutenant Hashimoto Tadashi by hanging at Pudu Jail on 3 January 1948.

We haven't forgotten

Satira oh satira

FMT:

Satira oh satira


Saya rasa DAP tidak akan lakukan apa-apa yang foolish dalam menghadapi dilema sekarang

Wan Hamidi Hamid kawan lama saya. Beliau wartawan pengalaman luas, penulis buku, aktivis, pencinta seni dan bermacam lagi. Beliau juga penggemar muzik punk rock — UK Subs dan Bad Religion antara band favourite beliau. Sikit lagi lupa nak kasitau, Hamidi orang DAP. “Ahli biasa je,” kata beliau.

Tempoh hari satu hantarannya di Facebook mendapat perhatian saya. Mengenai perbualan beliau dengan seorang kawan. Saya coretkan di sini hampir word for word. Saya rumuskan ia berkisar soal politik. Si kawan mulakan perbualan dengan bertanya, “DAP nak keluar kerajaan Madani?”


Hamidi jawab dengan bertanya: “pasai apa DAP nak keluaq”. Hamidi orang Tanjung so beliau cakap lagu tu.

Si kawan balas dengan penuh yakin. Katanya sebab DAP kata PMX hanya utamakan Melayu dan Islam. Sebab DAP kata Umno dan BN selalu serang DAP. DAP dah bagi amaran kat PMX supaya tunai janji reformasi dalam enam bulan.

Hamidi tanya balik: “Betoi ke DAP ugut macam tu?” Si kawan angguk, Hamidi terdiam. Kawannya terus cakap pasal surat Lim Guan Eng buat 10 tuntutan kepada PMX. Keras bunyi desakan itu, kata si kawan.

Hamidi terus diam. Kawan pun diam tetapi beberapa saat kemudian Hamidi dapat ilham dan jawab, “DAP memang boleh keluaq kerajaan kalau dia nak. Tapi takkan nak keluaq sebab koyak dikutuk Umno. Tak macho la macam tu.”

“Satu lagi aku rasa belum sampai titik penentu atau cut off point yang mana majoriti ahli DAP rasa DAP patut keluaq kerajaan. Atau lebih penting lagi tak semua pengundi DAP mau DAP tinggalkan PMX sekarang.”

Kawannya diam seketika sebelum tanya lagi: “OK tapi maksudnya kalau bukan sekarang suatu hari nanti DAP tak keberatanlah nak tinggalkan kerajaan Madani?”


Dengan yakin pertanyaan itu dijawab Hamidi: “Ya. Tapi hanya apabila DAP betoi-betoi sampai titik yang mana DAP dan para penyokongnya rasa depa have nothing to lose barulah depa akan buat keputusan.”

“Kalau setakat kena ejek, kena perli dan hati terasa disakiti, jiwa terasa diusik takkan nak merajuk sampai nak heret parti keluaq kerajaan.”

Tiba-tiba si kawan tanya, “kalau Umno yang keluar kerajaan Madani?” Tajam tu. Cukup setakat ini walaupun banyak lagi disajikan. Yang berminat sila lawati Facebook Wan Hamidi.

Yang dicatat hanya satu satira. Sebenarnya Hamidi pada awal catatan sudah beritahu ia “sebuah cerita rekaan pendek tentang politik Malaysia yang tak banyak berubah sejak sedekad lalu.” Memang benar tak banyak berubah.


Lihatlah keadaan yang menimpa DAP. Sekian lama diejek, diperli, hatinya disakiti. Saya tambah dilempar pelbagai tuduhan. Contoh peristiwa berdarah 13 Mei 1969 DAP dipersalahkan.

Sejak itu DAP dituduh anti-Melayu dan anti-Islam. Sekarang begitu juga. Oleh itu menurut saya, satira tadi bukan kelakar biasa-biasa. Sarat dengan mesej. Apabila pemimpin DAP dilantik sebagai menteri, ia dikaitkan oleh musuh politik dengan elemen ras — konon Cina akan kuasai negara, Melayu ditindas, Islam dihapus.

Yang masih menjadi isu sekarang ialah kekalahan DAP di PRN Sabah tempoh hari. Kekalahan teruk itu bagai dunia nak kiamat bagi DAP. Ini gambaran dilakar musuh tetapi DAP pun panik maka timbullah ‘kata dua’ kepada PMX yang disebut dalam satira tadi.

DAP tidak boleh dilihat penyokongnya sebagai lembik dan parti kow tow. Dalam kekalutan DAP pusat lupa mereka dan DAP Sabah ada beza. Beza atau sama tetapi menurut laporan Malaysiakini 19 Disember lalu, ramai penyokong DAP yang berpaling tadah pada PRN Sabah dipetik berkata keputusan tidak undi DAP adalah sesuatu yang perit tetapi terpaksa.

Diberitakan mereka tidak gembira DAP kalah di Sabah tetapi berasa terpaksa ambil keputusan tidak mengundi parti itu atas beberapa sebab. Yang utamanya ialah DAP telah bersekutu dengan Gabungan Rakyat Sabah yang ramai antara mereka kaitkan dengan ‘budaya politik kotor’. Jadi bolehlah dipercayai isu DAP pusat dengan DAP Sabah tidak sama.

Oleh itu apabila musuh politik bagai nak rak riuh rendah, gegak gempita, hiruk pikuk berikutan kekalahan DAP Sabah, apa hal DAP pusat kelam kabut, terutama penyokong di Semenanjung yang desak DAP buat macam-macam sebelum dilenyapkan.

Apabila Anwar Ibrahim melakukan rombakan Kabinet pada 16 Disember lalu, ada penganalisis berpendapat DAP kerugian. Terkesan dengan prestasi buruk di Sabah, DAP dilihat semakin terhakis pengaruh dalam kerajaan persekutuan.

Sebagai contoh, kata mereka, dua menteri DAP dipindahkan ke portfolio yang dianggap kurang penting. Benarkah Kementerian Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi kurang penting? Adakah menjadi menteri Wilayah Persekutuan juga tidak penting? Lalu mengapa sang politikus Melayu tetap lihat DAP ancaman ke atas politik mereka lantas terpaksa tiup sentimen Melayu?

Ancaman besar terhadap DAP ialah jika sendiri kalut dalam usaha mahu tunjuk taring dan dapatkan semula sokongan masyarakat Cina. Menunjukkan ‘kecinaan’ langkah ke belakang, mengambil kira DAP bersusah payah menonjolkan imej kemalaysiaan bagi membuktikan ia parti pelbagai bangsa.

Menunjukkan ‘kecinaan’ akan hanya beri peluang kepada musuh bermain sentimen ras dengan lebih kuat, di samping peluang menggambarkan DAP sebagai chauvinist Cina. Usaha DAP dalam kalangan Melayu sehingga kini akan dipersia-siakan.

Satu contoh kecil yang saya kagumi ialah kemenangan pemimpin Melayu dalam pemilihan DAP pada Mac. Selain itu, Syahredzan Johan menang Parlimen Bangi pada PRU 2022 dengan bergaya, meraih 141,568 undi untuk menang dengan majoriti 69,701 undi. Ini menakjubkan kerana beliau bertanding dalam kawasan majoriti Melayu atas tiket DAP.

Mungkin orang boleh kata it’s the man, not the party. Namun the fact is the party is DAP, parti yang ramai orang Melayu dakwa parti Cina anti-Melayu. Oleh itu saya rasa DAP tidak akan lakukan apa-apa yang foolish dalam menghadapi dilema sekarang.

Berbalik kepada satira tadi. Saya lanjutkan menerusi WhatsApp kepada seorang kawan lama untuk beliau hayati. Kata si kawan lama: “I don’t know if it’s a satire or not but the message seems real. But then again who knows?”.

Respons saya: “Aku rasa mesej tu real, bro.”

Cukup cerita politik. Saya ambil kesempatan ini untuk mengucapkan Merry Christmas kepada semua penganut Kristian

Israeli forces kill, wound Palestinians as Netanyahu issues Hamas threat

al Jazeera:

Israeli forces kill, wound Palestinians as Netanyahu issues Hamas threat

Israeli forces breach Gaza ceasefire, killing a Palestinian and wounding six, including a child, in multiple attacks

How pro-war extremism is becoming mainstream in Israel

By Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters
Published On 24 Dec 2025


At least one Palestinian has been killed and six, including a child, wounded by Israeli attacks across Gaza amid a threat by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A Palestinian man, Ayoub Abdel Ayesh Nasr, was killed and two people were wounded when Israeli forces opened fire on civilians in Jabalia in northern Gaza on Wednesday.

Three people were wounded after being shot east of Khan Younis, medical sources told the Palestinian Wafa news agency.

Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and wounded a child in central Gaza’s Maghazi refugee camp.

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, Israeli forces have killed more than ‌400 people in the battered enclave since the start of the ceasefire in October.

Gaza’s Government Media Office said Israel committed “serious and systematic violations” of the truce, noting that the Israeli forces had breached the ceasefire 875 times since it came into force.



Hamas, mediators say ceasefire breaches put entire process at risk


The healthcare system in Gaza is on the brink of total collapse, and the absence of much-needed aid, including medicine and medical supplies, is exacerbating the situation.

A 20-point plan proposed by United States President Donald Trump in September calls for an initial truce followed by steps towards a wider peace.

So far, only the first phase has taken effect, including a shaky release of captives and prisoners and a partial Israeli withdrawal.

Israel continues to violate a ceasefire agreement and block desperately needed humanitarian aid to the war-ravaged coastal enclave, even though these are stipulated in the first phase of the agreement.



Gaza Under Harsh Winter: Storms, Destroyed Shelters, and Urgent Humanitarian Crisis


Meanwhile, an explosive device detonated in southern Gaza’s Rafah, with Israel saying one soldier was injured.

PM Netanyahu said Israel would retaliate after the incident, which Hamas denied responsibility for, suggesting the explosive device had been left over by Israeli forces.

Hamas said the incident took place in an area where the Israeli army was in full control and that it had warned that explosives remained in the area and elsewhere since the war, reiterating its commitment to the October 10 ceasefire.

Netanyahu’s office also said an Israeli delegation met officials from mediating countries in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday to discuss efforts to return the remains of the last Israeli captive, police officer Ran Gvili, from Gaza.

The delegation included officials from the Israeli military, the Shin Bet domestic intelligence service and the ​Mossad intelligence service.

Trump’s plan ultimately calls for Hamas to disarm and have no governing role in Gaza, and ‌for Israel to pull out.

Hamas has said it will hand over arms only once a Palestinian state is established, which Israel says it will never allow.

Netanyahu is set to meet Trump next week at the White House, primarily to discuss the next phase of the US president’s Gaza plan.

Hamas said in a statement later on Wednesday that a delegation led by its chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya had discussed Gaza with ‍Turkiye’s foreign minister in Ankara.

Al-Hayya warned against what he described as the continuation of Israeli violations of the ceasefire, saying they were aimed at hindering the move to the next phase of the ceasefire deal.

The Hamas delegation said it had fulfilled the ceasefire’s conditions but that Israel’s continued attacks were blocking progress towards the next stage. They also asserted that 60 percent of the trucks allowed into Gaza were carrying commercial goods rather than aid.

About 71,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 171,000 wounded in attacks in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza since October 2023.

China and Russia Celebrate U.S. Builds $10B+ Trump Battleships Instead of Five Times More Destroyers

 

China and Russia Celebrate U.S. Builds $10B+ Trump Battleships Instead of Five Times More Destroyers

 

Announcement of beginning implementation of the Trump-class battleship project caused in Western specialized publications rather certain shock and misunderstanding of the root causes of this extremely controversial decision. Because the real challenges that the U.S. Navy is facing right now dictated essentially opposite decisions.

The fact is that Trump battleships will turn out not just expensive, but astronomically costly. Because by estimates, the cost of one will vary within 10-15 billion dollars per one, at the price of the newest nuclear aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford at $12.8 billion. At the same time, by its characteristics, the Trump-named battleship looks, although powerful, but an absolutely insufficient solution. [...]

That is, overall, at the current moment in time, the decision to build battleships for the U.S. Navy looks like an absolute failure. Because for 20-30 billion dollars, two unique ships are being built with actually not very broad strike capabilities, but with maximum construction cost coefficient due to small series, size and concentration of new solutions.

And of course this cannot but please China, which already has more ships than the U.S. Navy, and in 2030 will achieve a 1.5-fold advantage in pennants… Also, Russia will be happy about such a decision to direct resources to vulnerable small-series costly ships. Because Moscow in countering the U.S Navy always relied on submarine fleet, which was supposed to hit with nuclear weapons large formations like carrier strike groups, which Trump-class battleships will be part of. – Defense Express

 

Belgium joins South Africa's genocide case against Israel at UN court

Belgium joins South Africa's genocide case against Israel at UN court

Belgium has become the latest country to join a case brought by South Africa before the International Court of Justice that accuses Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip.


Issued on: 25/12/2025 - 10:28

Modified: 25/12/2025 - 12:05

A pro-Palestinian demonstration in Brussels on 21 January 2024. Belgium is the latest country to join South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the UN's top court. © AFP - NICOLAS MAETERLINCK

By:RFIFollow


The UN's highest court, based in The Hague, said in a statement on Tuesday that Brussels had filed a declaration of intervention.

Belgium's intervention does not mean it fully supports South Africa's accusations, nor that it defends Israel, but that it intends to clarify its interpretation of international law in the context of the case.

By joining the case, Belgium intends to reaffirm its commitment to enforcing the UN treaty on genocide and in particular argue that an ongoing military conflict should not prevent the court establishing whether a war crime had taken place, the country said in its official filing.

Several other countries – including Brazil, Colombia, Ireland, Mexico, Spain and Turkey – have already joined the case.

South Africa brought a case at the United Nations' highest court in December 2023, alleging Israel's Gaza offensive breached the 1948 UN convention on genocide.

Israel denies the accusation.

'Recognition brings obligation’: How declaring genocide could reshape war in Gaza


A final decision on the core of the case could take years.

In rulings in January, March and May 2024, the ICJ told Israel to do everything possible to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza, including by providing urgently needed humanitarian aid to prevent famine.

The orders are legally binding, but the court has no concrete means to enforce them.

Israel has criticised the proceedings and rejected the accusations.

Recognition of Palestine

Belgium was among several countries to recognise the State of Palestine in September – though it said it would not formally take the step until Hamas has been excluded from Palestinian leadership.

Nearly 80 percent of UN member states now recognise Palestinian statehood, including France.

Why is France recognising Palestinian statehood and will it change anything?

South Africa has long championed the cause of Palestinians, likening their plight to its own oppressed people under apartheid – a comparison Israel strongly rejects.

The United States, Israel's closest ally, has rejected South Africa's case as baseless and cut aid to the country over its land reform policy as well as the genocide claim.

The US has also imposed sanctions on members of the International Criminal Court, which issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, along with former Hamas commander Mohammed Deif.

The US has also imposed sanctions on members of the International Criminal Court