'Cakes and cash' feature in rare Malaysia TV debate between 1MDB-tainted ex-PM Najib and opposition leader Anwar

Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim during a public debate in KL on May 12, 2022.Badminton-crazy Malaysia would have normally been riveted to a live broadcast of a Thomas Cup fixture against long-time rivals India.

Some analysts and social media commentators wondered just what was achieved in Thursday’s high-profile 90-minute spectacle, with most local media offering live updates on the event as if it were an election debate.The main gain for both Anwar and Najib is that they can now go back to their respective vote bases and claim the win. Anwar can spin tales of leadership, while Najib of relevance,” said public policy analyst Harris Zainul.

Previously known to avoid public debates – including 2015’s ‘Nothing to Hide’ discussion about 1MDB, which would have been with his former mentor Mahathir Mohamad if it had actually happened – Najib appeared well rehearsed and confident on Thursday. “The king is the people! Because to help people, the best method is direct cash transfer,” said Najib, famous for handing out money during his time in office.On the other hand, sticking to his long-standing political platform of reform, Anwar hammered home the idea of good governance, pushing for a forensic audit of Sapura Energy to pinpoint what went wrong there.

A widely shared reaction among Malaysians on Twitter summarised the debate as Najib having an idealistic approach, and Anwar being a realist. His cake analogy was quickly mocked by the public, with many people noting that ‘cakes’ was the code word used by the alleged 1MDB scandal mastermind Jho Low to describe bribes, including to Najib’s wife Rosmah Mansor, in his online chats with disgraced Goldman Sachs banker Tim Leissner.

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