Najib Razak facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yang Berbahagia Dato' Sri Najib Razak DK II (Pahang) DK I (Brunei) SPMK DMK SSSJ SPSA SSAP SIMP SPDK DUNM DP DSAP PNBS
نجيب رزاق
Official portrait, 2008
6th Prime Minister of Malaysia
In office 3 April 2009 – 9 May 2018
Monarch	Mizan Zainal Abidin Abdul Halim Muhammad V
Deputy	Muhyiddin Yassin Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Preceded by	Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Succeeded by	Mahathir Mohamad
7th President of the United Malays National Organisation (ex officio: Chairman of Barisan Nasional)
In office 26 March 2009 – 12 May 2018
Deputy	Muhyiddin Yassin Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Preceded by	Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Succeeded by	Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
9th Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
In office 7 January 2004 – 3 April 2009
Prime Minister	Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Preceded by	Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Succeeded by	Muhyiddin Yassin
12th Menteri Besar of Pahang
In office 4 May 1982 – 14 August 1986
Monarch	Ahmad Shah
Deputy	Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman
Preceded by	Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman
Succeeded by	Mohd Khalil Yaakob
Ministerial portfolios 1978–1979 Deputy Minister of Energy, Telecommunications and Posts 1979–1981 Deputy Minister of Education 1981–1982 Deputy Minister of Finance 1986–1987 Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports 1987–1990 Minister of Youth and Sports 1990–1995 Minister of Defence 1995–1999 Minister of Education 1999–2008 Minister of Defence 2008–2018 Minister of Finance 2012–2013 Acting Minister of Women, Family and Community Development
Parliamentary offices Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Pekan In office 6 October 1986 – 6 September 2022 Preceded by Mohamed Amin Daud Succeeded by Sh Mohmed Puzi Sh Ali In office 21 February 1976 – 14 June 1982 Preceded by Abdul Razak Hussein Succeeded by Mohamed Amin Daud Member of the Pahang State Legislative Assembly for Bandar Pekan In office 1982–1986 Preceded by Shamsiah Abdul Hamid Succeeded by Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	Mohammad Najib bin Abdul Razak (1953-07-23) 23 July 1953 (age 72) Kuala Lipis, Pahang, Federation of Malaya
Political party	United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) (1976–present)
Other political affiliations	Barisan Nasional (BN) (1976–present)
Spouses	Puteri Zainah Eskandar ​ ​ (m. 1976; div. 1987)​ Rosmah Mansor ​ (m. 1987)​
Children	5 (including Nazifuddin and Nizar)
Parents	Abdul Razak Hussein (father) Rahah Noah (mother)
Relatives	Hishammuddin Hussein (cousin) Riza Aziz (stepson) Hussein bin Mohd Taib (grandfather) Mohamed Noah Omar (grandfather) Suhailah Noah (aunt) Onn Hafiz Ghazi (first cousin once removed)
Education	St. John's Institution Malvern College
Alma mater	University of Nottingham (BSc)
Signature

Mohammad Najib bin Abdul Razak (born 23 July 1953) is a Malaysian politician who was the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia from 2009 to 2018. He is the son of Malaysia's second prime minister, Abdul Razak Hussein. Najib was the leader of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition and the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party.

His time as prime minister ended after the 2018 general election. His party lost the election, which was a first in Malaysia's history. Many people believe this was because of a big money scandal called the 1MDB scandal and a new tax that made things more expensive.

Later, Najib faced serious legal troubles related to the 1MDB scandal. In 2020, he was found guilty of breaking the law. He became the first prime minister in Malaysia's history to be convicted of such actions. In August 2022, the highest court confirmed the decision, and he began serving a 12-year prison sentence.

Early Life and Education

Najib was born on 23 July 1953, in Kuala Lipis, Pahang. He is the oldest of six sons of Abdul Razak Hussein, who was Malaysia's second prime minister. His family has a long history in politics.

He went to school at St. John's Institution, Kuala Lumpur. Later, he studied at Malvern College in England. He earned a bachelor's degree in industrial economics from the University of Nottingham in 1974. After returning to Malaysia, he worked for Malaysia's central bank and the national oil company, Petronas.

Political Career

Najib's political career began when he was only 23 years old. He was elected to the Parliament of Malaysia in 1976, taking over the seat of his father, who had passed away.

Early Roles

In 1978, Najib became the youngest deputy minister in Malaysia's history. From 1982 to 1986, he served as the Chief Minister (Menteri Besar) of his home state, Pahang.

After that, he held several important jobs in the national government. He was the minister for different departments, including Youth and Sports, Defence, and Education. In 2004, he became the Deputy Prime Minister under Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Becoming Prime Minister

In 2009, Najib took over from Abdullah Badawi to become Malaysia's sixth prime minister. He also became the leader of the UMNO political party.

Prime Minister (2009–2018)

As prime minister, Najib introduced several major programs and policies for the country.

1Malaysia Program

Najib launched the 1Malaysia campaign to promote harmony and unity among Malaysia's different ethnic groups. The idea was to encourage people to think of themselves as Malaysian first, rather than by their race. The campaign used slogans like "People First, Performance Now."

While the goal was to bring people together, some felt it was more of a slogan than a real change in policy.

Economic Programs

Najib's government started several economic programs to help Malaysians and grow the economy.

• BR1M Project: This program gave money to lower-income families to help them with the cost of living. It was called Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia, or People's Aid 1Malaysia.
• Housing Programme (PR1MA): This program aimed to build affordable houses for middle-income families in cities.
• Economic Liberalisation: Najib's government made it easier for foreign companies to invest in Malaysia. This was done to make the country's economy more competitive.

Foreign Policy

Najib worked to build strong relationships with other countries.

• United States: He had a good relationship with US President Barack Obama. They met several times and upgraded the relationship between the two countries to a "comprehensive partnership." He also met with President Donald Trump.
• India: Najib visited India and signed agreements on trade and education. This led to more investment between the two countries.
• Palestine: He was a strong supporter of the Palestinian people. He was the first Muslim leader from Southeast Asia to visit the West Bank.

The 1MDB Scandal

During his time as prime minister, Najib was linked to a major financial scandal involving a government company called 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

1MDB was created to help develop Malaysia's economy. However, investigations by authorities in Malaysia and other countries found that huge amounts of money were missing from the company. It was discovered that this money was used to buy luxury items, real estate, and even to fund Hollywood movies.

Najib denied any wrongdoing. He said the money in his personal bank accounts was a donation from a royal family in Saudi Arabia. However, the scandal damaged his reputation and the trust of many Malaysians in his government.

2018 Election and After

In the 2018 general election, Najib's party, Barisan Nasional, lost power for the first time in 61 years. After the election, the new government reopened the investigation into the 1MDB scandal.

Police searched properties linked to Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor. They seized a large amount of cash, jewelry, and luxury handbags. The total value of the seized items was estimated to be over $200 million.

After losing the election, Najib stepped down as the leader of his political party. He was also banned from leaving the country while the investigation was ongoing.

Personal Life

Najib with his wife Rosmah Mansor in 2009.

In 1976, Najib married Tengku Puteri Zainah Tengku Eskandar. They have three children. They later divorced, and in 1987, he married Rosmah Mansor. He has two children with Rosmah.

Najib is known for being a fan of golf and has played with world leaders, including two US presidents. He also became known for the catchphrase "Malu Apa Bossku" ("What's there to be ashamed of, my boss?"), which became very popular on social media.

Images for kids

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  Official portrait, 2008

See also

In Spanish: Najib Razak para niños

• Najib Razak controversies
• 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal
• Corruption in Malaysia