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The Siege Within
In The Siege Within, Malaysian journalist Leslie Lopez crafts a remarkable thriller out of politics and high finance, delivering a knockout expose all the more shocking for the ring of truth behind every act
When Malaysia's sixth prime minister Najib Razak was sentenced to twelve years in prison and fined RM 210 million for stealing billions from the 1MDB state investment fund he had himself set up, it exposed a chain of events that began decades ago, and which continues to reverberate economically, financially and politically, bleeding the treasury and inflicting immeasurable pain on taxpayers for generations to come.
Malaysian journalist Leslie Lopez's first book, The Siege Within, delves into the writer's own archives of previously unpublished material to go back in time and show exactly how it was possible for a Malaysian prime minister to envisage his treacherous crime, and then to execute the dastardly deed. From its most 'innocent' beginning in a north Malaysian state, Lopez charts how Najib and his warlords set up the investment fund for the sole purpose of stealing from it.
Lopez's literary debut goes on to show how 1MDB is not just about Najib. The book brings into sharp relief the Machiavellian schemes of a prime minister who sat at the top for more than two decades, and came back from retirement to become PM again in 2022, at the age of ninety-two. The Siege Within paints Mahathir Mohamed as the chief architect of a political system that paved the way for a criminal such as Najib to lie, cheat and steal his way to power, a system which then protected him from scrutiny and prosecution.
One-time central bank governor Zeti Aziz, and the extent of her relationship with the man who delivered billions to Najib on a silver platter, Low Taek Jho, come under a forensic spotlight as Lopez exposes the shocking series of events that culminated in the monstrous enormity of Najib's deeds. It also depicts how the earth shook for the main players—in Malaysia, Australia, Singapore, the US and Middle Eastern states—once news broke of the biggest case of corruption in world history.
The Siege Within is the untold story behind the political crime that continues to make world headlines, and why a nation so full of promise has been brought to its knees.
When Malaysia's sixth prime minister Najib Razak was sentenced to twelve years in prison and fined RM 210 million for stealing billions from the 1MDB state investment fund he had himself set up, it exposed a chain of events that began decades ago, and which continues to reverberate economically, financially and politically, bleeding the treasury and inflicting immeasurable pain on taxpayers for generations to come.
Malaysian journalist Leslie Lopez's first book, The Siege Within, delves into the writer's own archives of previously unpublished material to go back in time and show exactly how it was possible for a Malaysian prime minister to envisage his treacherous crime, and then to execute the dastardly deed. From its most 'innocent' beginning in a north Malaysian state, Lopez charts how Najib and his warlords set up the investment fund for the sole purpose of stealing from it.
Lopez's literary debut goes on to show how 1MDB is not just about Najib. The book brings into sharp relief the Machiavellian schemes of a prime minister who sat at the top for more than two decades, and came back from retirement to become PM again in 2022, at the age of ninety-two. The Siege Within paints Mahathir Mohamed as the chief architect of a political system that paved the way for a criminal such as Najib to lie, cheat and steal his way to power, a system which then protected him from scrutiny and prosecution.
One-time central bank governor Zeti Aziz, and the extent of her relationship with the man who delivered billions to Najib on a silver platter, Low Taek Jho, come under a forensic spotlight as Lopez exposes the shocking series of events that culminated in the monstrous enormity of Najib's deeds. It also depicts how the earth shook for the main players—in Malaysia, Australia, Singapore, the US and Middle Eastern states—once news broke of the biggest case of corruption in world history.
The Siege Within is the untold story behind the political crime that continues to make world headlines, and why a nation so full of promise has been brought to its knees.
- GenresPolitics
204 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 24, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 15, 2025
1.5 stars rounded up.
Talk about frustrating. The only reason I finished this (and therefore it gets its two stars) is that 1. I paid more for it than I normally would for a book because I really wanted to read it and 2. there were some things in it that I didn't know before despite having read several 1MDB books to date, and I thought they were good information. But that's pretty much where the "good stuff" ends.
The writer has zero credibility from his tone of writing, it's blindingly obvious even before the book starts (from the very long prologue) that the author is a massive Anwar Ibrahim fanboy: Basically everything that Anwar does is great and everything that anyone else does is corruption. Now I am not denying that corruption is widespread in Malaysian politics, or that Anwar does have some good ideas in him, I am sure that the other characters that he accuses of corruption were at least in part guilty of what they're accused of in this book, but a well-written book would not give anyone a get-out-of-jail-free card the way Anwar has gotten here.
That irked me pretty much from the first chapter, which was not helpful (and also meant I took a frustratingly long time to finish a small book) and did not improve throughout. Throw in a narrative that randomly jumps all over the place chronologically and you end up with a book that borders on unreadable with the odd tidbit of useful information strewn about, which is my best summary of this one.
Talk about frustrating. The only reason I finished this (and therefore it gets its two stars) is that 1. I paid more for it than I normally would for a book because I really wanted to read it and 2. there were some things in it that I didn't know before despite having read several 1MDB books to date, and I thought they were good information. But that's pretty much where the "good stuff" ends.
The writer has zero credibility from his tone of writing, it's blindingly obvious even before the book starts (from the very long prologue) that the author is a massive Anwar Ibrahim fanboy: Basically everything that Anwar does is great and everything that anyone else does is corruption. Now I am not denying that corruption is widespread in Malaysian politics, or that Anwar does have some good ideas in him, I am sure that the other characters that he accuses of corruption were at least in part guilty of what they're accused of in this book, but a well-written book would not give anyone a get-out-of-jail-free card the way Anwar has gotten here.
That irked me pretty much from the first chapter, which was not helpful (and also meant I took a frustratingly long time to finish a small book) and did not improve throughout. Throw in a narrative that randomly jumps all over the place chronologically and you end up with a book that borders on unreadable with the odd tidbit of useful information strewn about, which is my best summary of this one.
October 26, 2024
An excellent read outlining the 1MDB scandal and its predecessors in Malaysia. Truly a book for the modern man - it is just shy of 200 pages and can be finished in a weekend.
Lopez puts the political in political economy in this succint story detailing the rise and fall of numerous political actors in this sordid saga. Corruption has for too long been tolerated in this country. A moral stain that must be cleansed.
Lopez puts the political in political economy in this succint story detailing the rise and fall of numerous political actors in this sordid saga. Corruption has for too long been tolerated in this country. A moral stain that must be cleansed.
March 28, 2025
Book Name- “The Siege Within”
Author- Leslie Lopez
Genre- Non- Fiction
Pages- 212
.
An engrossing read that speaks on culture and memories in the Southeast Asia. The author describes heritage and collective identities, illustrating on history, principles and modern challenges through essays and private accounts. Grasping the complications of identity emergence and encouraging the intense collision of memory on both personal and common level. Leslie Lopez is a Malaysian reporter with whom Anwar shared details of the encounter in the PM’s office more than two decades ago, as well as his thoughts upon his release from jail in 2018. The author puts the political economy in this compendious story briefing the rise and fall of various political actors in this sleazy saga. Corruption has been tolerated for too long in this country. A virtuous blemish that needs to be purged. It is interesting to learn about the stalemate between the police and MACC. More interestingly to learn that the council of rulers suggested SPRM to release the election results. The author suggests to intelligence held by MACC on almost every politician then in the ruling government. There are those who were very much involved in the scandal but have escaped from it, those who ‘brawled against corruption’ were not always selfless in doing so, only the very obvious offenders received their atonement and even then one may yet escape, and so much more work is need to undo the Mahathir years’ wide in-group favoritism & forceful culture. An outstanding read shaping the 1MDB scandal and its precursors in Malaysia.
Review- 4.5
Author- Leslie Lopez
Genre- Non- Fiction
Pages- 212
.
An engrossing read that speaks on culture and memories in the Southeast Asia. The author describes heritage and collective identities, illustrating on history, principles and modern challenges through essays and private accounts. Grasping the complications of identity emergence and encouraging the intense collision of memory on both personal and common level. Leslie Lopez is a Malaysian reporter with whom Anwar shared details of the encounter in the PM’s office more than two decades ago, as well as his thoughts upon his release from jail in 2018. The author puts the political economy in this compendious story briefing the rise and fall of various political actors in this sleazy saga. Corruption has been tolerated for too long in this country. A virtuous blemish that needs to be purged. It is interesting to learn about the stalemate between the police and MACC. More interestingly to learn that the council of rulers suggested SPRM to release the election results. The author suggests to intelligence held by MACC on almost every politician then in the ruling government. There are those who were very much involved in the scandal but have escaped from it, those who ‘brawled against corruption’ were not always selfless in doing so, only the very obvious offenders received their atonement and even then one may yet escape, and so much more work is need to undo the Mahathir years’ wide in-group favoritism & forceful culture. An outstanding read shaping the 1MDB scandal and its precursors in Malaysia.
Review- 4.5
October 28, 2024
Apologizing to the void for some critiques but I do think the book would have benefited from tighter editing and a tighter chronological narrative - within some chapters the weaving of characters and jumping from past to present events were jarring.
On the whole the arguments/narratives I took away: there are those who were knee deep in the scandal but have gotten away with it (thanks to this book perhaps not for long?), those who ‘fought against corruption’ that were not always altruistic in doing so (despite the public rhetoric, though we are not that naive), only the most obvious culprits received their penance and even then one may yet escape, and so much more work is need to undo the Mahathir years’ thick cronyism&kickback culture.
Other thoughts:
- Anwar is neutrally if not positively painted in this work.
- super interesting to learn abt the standoff between the police and MACC.
- Even more interesting to learn that the council of rulers advised sprm to release the election results
- it took so many years and a band of strong characters (and a coincidence of interest) to fully wear away at/dismantle (short of destroying) an incredibly blatant slush fund. How would we even start to unravel more sophisticated scams?
- author alludes to intelligence held by MACC on nearly every politician then in the ruling gov. We need these acted upon.
- penguin would likely not publish this if a successful defamation action was likely so I’m very intrigued to see what happens next in relation to the high priestess and the author’s ex business colleague.
On the whole the arguments/narratives I took away: there are those who were knee deep in the scandal but have gotten away with it (thanks to this book perhaps not for long?), those who ‘fought against corruption’ that were not always altruistic in doing so (despite the public rhetoric, though we are not that naive), only the most obvious culprits received their penance and even then one may yet escape, and so much more work is need to undo the Mahathir years’ thick cronyism&kickback culture.
Other thoughts:
- Anwar is neutrally if not positively painted in this work.
- super interesting to learn abt the standoff between the police and MACC.
- Even more interesting to learn that the council of rulers advised sprm to release the election results
- it took so many years and a band of strong characters (and a coincidence of interest) to fully wear away at/dismantle (short of destroying) an incredibly blatant slush fund. How would we even start to unravel more sophisticated scams?
- author alludes to intelligence held by MACC on nearly every politician then in the ruling gov. We need these acted upon.
- penguin would likely not publish this if a successful defamation action was likely so I’m very intrigued to see what happens next in relation to the high priestess and the author’s ex business colleague.
October 4, 2025
I still need to read more about this case because I still don't understand exactly how the money was siphoned. So I can't comment on the quality of the book's content.
But there is one thing that I'm not satisfied with this book. Why did you shorten Bank Negara Malaysia to just... Negara? It's annoying to read. It doesn't make sense to shorten it like that either. That's all I have to complain about this book.
But there is one thing that I'm not satisfied with this book. Why did you shorten Bank Negara Malaysia to just... Negara? It's annoying to read. It doesn't make sense to shorten it like that either. That's all I have to complain about this book.
October 19, 2024
A good read on the events surrounding the 1MDB scandal.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews