SHAH ALAM – Despite facing relentless humiliation, accusations and insults, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak continues to command respect and admiration from many Malaysians who remember his contributions to the nation.
His eldest son, Datuk Nizar Najib remains optimistic, drawing strength from the enduring goodwill towards his father.
"Even leaders from other political parties have quietly told me that my father has done a lot for the Indian community, and for other communities as well,” he shared during Sinar Daily’s Top News Podcast: Politics Meets Progress: Interview with Datuk Nizar Najib podcast recently.
The Pahang Investment, Industries, Science, Technology and Innovation state exco said his father was highly popular among the Indian community and the Orang Asli, having assisted them significantly in the past by advancing development agendas in Pekan and other parts of Malaysia.
"His detractors and critics can call him whatever they want, but you can’t erase the good he’s done in the past,” he said.
Nizar said Najib was also well-regarded in Sabah and Sarawak for championing the Pan-Borneo Highway initiative, adding that during his tenure, he had been a staunch advocate for East Malaysian progress, driving the Pan-Borneo Highway project to enhance regional connectivity - a key factor behind his lasting appeal there.
Beyond infrastructure, he added that his father’s administration bolstered support for the Orang Asli through land rights recognition, educational programmes and economic opportunities.
Nizar said similarly, the Indian community benefited from initiatives like funding for Tamil schools, skills training and business grants, earning him substantial backing from Indian Malaysians.
Nizar also recalled Najibs efforts to reduce living costs, sharing an emotional encounter with a woman who, during the last fasting month, tearfully credited the Barisan Nasional government (2009–2018) for enabling her to start a small catering business with seed money from the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) cash aid programme.
BR1M, a cornerstone of Najib’s policies, provided direct financial relief to low-income families.
Additionally, he said Najib introduced the 1Malaysia concept in 2009, emphasising national unity with the slogan "People First, Performance Now” to transcend ethnic divisions and cultivate a shared identity.
Nizar said many ordinary Malaysians still approach him to express gratitude for his father’s policies.
"He’s done a lot. I gave room for freedom of speech to a certain extent. There's still a lot of good, no matter what the critics say,” he added.
He noted that if his father had truly done something wrong, condemnation would have been widespread across Malaysia - but that hasn’t been the case.
That, he said, gives him strength and perspective, and it’s from that place they’ve chosen to regroup and keep moving forward.
Najib is currently serving a six-year prison sentence. He faces four charges of abusing his position to receive bribes totaling nearly RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds, along with 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.