Malaysia: Najib Razak resigns as party president, coalition chief

Ousted Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak (AP Photo/File)

Ousted Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said on Saturday that he had resigned as president of United Malay National Organisation (UMNO) party, and chairman of the Barisan Nasional alliance, with immediate effect. “We all feel sad about what happened but as a party that upholds democratic principles, we accept the people’s decision,” he said, referring to the stunning defeat of the long-ruling alliance in Wednesday’s general election.

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Najib said his deputy Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also the former deputy prime minister, would take over as the new president of UMNO, the main component of the alliance. Najib has been barred from leaving the country amid reports that the government was reopening investigations into a multi-billion-dollar graft scandal at a state fund he founded.