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The Sarawak Report: The Inside Story of the 1MDB Exposé
The Sarawak Report is the stranger-than-fiction tale of how one woman uncovered the world’s biggest theft which, in 2018, brought down the Malaysian government.
Investigating the deforestation of Sarawak, Borneo, and the dispossession of its people, journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown followed a trail of corruption that led her to the heart of Malaysian politics and to Prime Minister Najib Razak himself. Determined that the public should know the truth, she started a blog, which became Malaysia’s go-to news outlet for information that the government was trying to suppress – and whistleblowers wanted to get out. She was soon running a radio station too.
To nail down absolute proof, Rewcastle Brown criss-crossed the globe and, defying danger, pieced together the evidence of the 1MDB scandal – the theft of billions from the country’s sovereign wealth fund. Her reporting – exposing the shady dealings of international politicians, finance powerhouses, prominent PR firms, and Hollywood glitterati – convulsed Malaysian politics and reverberated around the world. The US government made its largest ever kleptocracy asset seizure, while banks and bankers fell.
Sweeping in scope, The Sarawak Report provides a jaw-dropping behind-the-scenes narrative of Malaysia’s recent turbulent political struggles, revealing, as never before, how government-funded cyber-warfare and fake news operate, and, in an era of threadbare mainstream media, demonstrating that epoch-changing investigative journalism is still possible. It is an urgent account of the reality of globalisation – and the astonishing story of how one person made a difference.
Investigating the deforestation of Sarawak, Borneo, and the dispossession of its people, journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown followed a trail of corruption that led her to the heart of Malaysian politics and to Prime Minister Najib Razak himself. Determined that the public should know the truth, she started a blog, which became Malaysia’s go-to news outlet for information that the government was trying to suppress – and whistleblowers wanted to get out. She was soon running a radio station too.
To nail down absolute proof, Rewcastle Brown criss-crossed the globe and, defying danger, pieced together the evidence of the 1MDB scandal – the theft of billions from the country’s sovereign wealth fund. Her reporting – exposing the shady dealings of international politicians, finance powerhouses, prominent PR firms, and Hollywood glitterati – convulsed Malaysian politics and reverberated around the world. The US government made its largest ever kleptocracy asset seizure, while banks and bankers fell.
Sweeping in scope, The Sarawak Report provides a jaw-dropping behind-the-scenes narrative of Malaysia’s recent turbulent political struggles, revealing, as never before, how government-funded cyber-warfare and fake news operate, and, in an era of threadbare mainstream media, demonstrating that epoch-changing investigative journalism is still possible. It is an urgent account of the reality of globalisation – and the astonishing story of how one person made a difference.
566 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 28, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
October 2, 2018
This should be a movie. Clare Brown, i shall toast you with my heartiest wine!
January 26, 2019
For 61 years, Barisan Nasional had held power in Malaysia and that had made them one of the longest serving government in a democratic country. Throughout the terms, they had maintained their grip on the nation by increasingly subverting the rule of law: gerrymandering, tampering with election results, taking over institutions such as judiciary bodies and enforcement agencies, and outright murder. Civil rights activists and opposition members had either been jailed or forced to flee the country as their latest leader, Najib Razak, demonstrated how far he was willing to go to keep his ruling party in power. The future looked bleak for the Malaysians who, thanks to the explosion of the digital age, were getting more aware of just how much wrongdoing had been going on in the country.
Who would have thought that the one figure to bring Najib down was a UK female investigative journalist named Clare Rewcastle Brown? Who was she? She was a crusader for West Malaysian natives against illegal timber logging that was destroying their natural homes and causing massive environmental damage.
This is the story of how she (almost) single-handedly brought down the corrupt and vile politician that was named as one of the biggest kleptocrat in recent history. The pivotal point was 1MDB, an ostensibly sovereign investment fund to help development in the country and the brainchild of then Prime Minister Najib Razak. Supported by various aides, notably the most famous Jho Low, he embarked on a financial web of laundering and corruption spanning across the globe. Dark and shocking, the account was many years in telling as readers were taken on a ride through the many layers of crime and graft that was performed all in the name of personal profits. As a Malaysian, I was shocked and disgusted that money - our future - that was the sweat and tears of our labors, were squandered and wasted into failed business, wanton debauchery and 'raining' Cristal campagnes aboard million-dollars luxury yachts and Hollywood celebrity parties. In spite of personal danger to herself and various legal actions to stop her crusade, she persisted in chasing the story with dogged determination and a strong sense of justice.
I will admit that I do not follow current affairs closely, and I am not smart enough to understand all the financial shenanigans highlighted in the book, but she managed to keep the book riveting enough even if you do not follow the numbers. If you are interested in a thriller-like real life narrative of one of the biggest kleptocracy scandal in the world, then you will want to read this book. If you are a Malaysian, I beseech you to read this at least once. You owe it to the country. Clare Brown deserves a Pulitzer Prize for this.
Who would have thought that the one figure to bring Najib down was a UK female investigative journalist named Clare Rewcastle Brown? Who was she? She was a crusader for West Malaysian natives against illegal timber logging that was destroying their natural homes and causing massive environmental damage.
This is the story of how she (almost) single-handedly brought down the corrupt and vile politician that was named as one of the biggest kleptocrat in recent history. The pivotal point was 1MDB, an ostensibly sovereign investment fund to help development in the country and the brainchild of then Prime Minister Najib Razak. Supported by various aides, notably the most famous Jho Low, he embarked on a financial web of laundering and corruption spanning across the globe. Dark and shocking, the account was many years in telling as readers were taken on a ride through the many layers of crime and graft that was performed all in the name of personal profits. As a Malaysian, I was shocked and disgusted that money - our future - that was the sweat and tears of our labors, were squandered and wasted into failed business, wanton debauchery and 'raining' Cristal campagnes aboard million-dollars luxury yachts and Hollywood celebrity parties. In spite of personal danger to herself and various legal actions to stop her crusade, she persisted in chasing the story with dogged determination and a strong sense of justice.
I will admit that I do not follow current affairs closely, and I am not smart enough to understand all the financial shenanigans highlighted in the book, but she managed to keep the book riveting enough even if you do not follow the numbers. If you are interested in a thriller-like real life narrative of one of the biggest kleptocracy scandal in the world, then you will want to read this book. If you are a Malaysian, I beseech you to read this at least once. You owe it to the country. Clare Brown deserves a Pulitzer Prize for this.
July 25, 2019
Very informative and paints a clear picture on how Clare Rewcastle Brown went from blogging about illegal logging in Sarawak to unprecedentedly bringing down a kleptocracy government that had ruled for 60 years. The book offers small but important tidbits about the failings of globalization, the sinister side to journalism and the influence of Western politicians in developing countries, which I find particularly enlightening.
The inevitable tendency of readers after reading this book is to compare it to Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World. Rest assured that such comparison does neither book any justice; both books are of different genres and are aimed at different readers. You'll find BDW to suit your taste if you're into thrillers and fast-paced financial fraud stories. But if you intend to genuinely learn and understand in an in-depth manner how the entire 1MDB story unfolds, both the past and the future, then TSR is for you.
The inevitable tendency of readers after reading this book is to compare it to Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World. Rest assured that such comparison does neither book any justice; both books are of different genres and are aimed at different readers. You'll find BDW to suit your taste if you're into thrillers and fast-paced financial fraud stories. But if you intend to genuinely learn and understand in an in-depth manner how the entire 1MDB story unfolds, both the past and the future, then TSR is for you.
January 3, 2019
Detailed account by a brave investigative journalist on the heist that brought down a government - 1MDB. What started as a movement to save Borneo’s rainforest, Clare Brown uncovered a corruption scandal of monumental proportion led by none other than Malaysian Prime Minister, Najib Razak with Jho Low as the devil in his ears. The investigation shone light on complicated webs of shady transactions totalling $4.5billion from 1MDB loans underwritten by Goldman Sachs and pass though a series of shell companies to alleged joint venture investments in the Middle East. A sum of $681M was eventually traced to Najib’s Malaysian AM Bank account, which upon the unravelling, were claimed to be political donation from the Saudi royal family and were eventually returned. Much of the money raised were spent by Najib’s family and his cronies on luxury items like real estate, yacht, pink diamond and even the movie ‘Wolf of Wall Street’.
While on paper 1MDB was an independent company with no links to public money, Najib was found to abuse his powers by forcing pension funds and pilgrimage funds to invest in his failed projects or buy real estate at unrealistic prices to keep the scandal afloat. As 1MDB continued to be boxed in by looming repayments and continued pressure from Brown and other oppositions, he began to auction his own country through his visits to Middle East, China and the US to secure quick cash to prop his falling house of cards.
In the course of the scandal, Najib repeatedly showed that he was above the law by sacking his cabinet members who challenged him on 1MDB, including his deputy Prime Minister and Attorney General, to be replaced by yes-men. Sounds a whole lot like what is happening in Trump administration! His unscrupulous ways did not stop there, as there were mysterious deaths, cyber hacking, propaganda through mainstream media, oppositions being put to jail and stalking of journalists to push his selfish agenda.
Fortunately, in today’s world of social media, his deeds were not missed by the general public, who in the 2018 election voted BN out of the government for the first time in Malaysia’s 61 years’ history. To date, investigations by multiple bodies including DOJ (US), MAS (Singapore) and FINMA (Switzerland) are still ongoing to fully unravel the web of lies that has been spun by Najib and Jho Low to hopefully recover the money back for the Malaysian citizens and prosecute the guilty who still walk freely amongst us today, including the greedy financial institutions who facilitated the biggest corruption we have seen yet.
As a former Malaysian, it is sad and yet shameful to see how a nation blessed with such bountiful natural resources and strategic location been run to the ground by incapable leadership. Hopefully with the topping of the old empire, there will indeed be new dawn for the country.
While on paper 1MDB was an independent company with no links to public money, Najib was found to abuse his powers by forcing pension funds and pilgrimage funds to invest in his failed projects or buy real estate at unrealistic prices to keep the scandal afloat. As 1MDB continued to be boxed in by looming repayments and continued pressure from Brown and other oppositions, he began to auction his own country through his visits to Middle East, China and the US to secure quick cash to prop his falling house of cards.
In the course of the scandal, Najib repeatedly showed that he was above the law by sacking his cabinet members who challenged him on 1MDB, including his deputy Prime Minister and Attorney General, to be replaced by yes-men. Sounds a whole lot like what is happening in Trump administration! His unscrupulous ways did not stop there, as there were mysterious deaths, cyber hacking, propaganda through mainstream media, oppositions being put to jail and stalking of journalists to push his selfish agenda.
Fortunately, in today’s world of social media, his deeds were not missed by the general public, who in the 2018 election voted BN out of the government for the first time in Malaysia’s 61 years’ history. To date, investigations by multiple bodies including DOJ (US), MAS (Singapore) and FINMA (Switzerland) are still ongoing to fully unravel the web of lies that has been spun by Najib and Jho Low to hopefully recover the money back for the Malaysian citizens and prosecute the guilty who still walk freely amongst us today, including the greedy financial institutions who facilitated the biggest corruption we have seen yet.
As a former Malaysian, it is sad and yet shameful to see how a nation blessed with such bountiful natural resources and strategic location been run to the ground by incapable leadership. Hopefully with the topping of the old empire, there will indeed be new dawn for the country.
September 17, 2018
Though I absolutely enjoyed the thriller element, I found the book about a quarter too long and obviously rushed for publication ahead of WSJ’s Billion Dollar Whale. Clare has a great instinct of a curious investigator, and always willing to push and ask one more why and how come, even as the questions become uncomfortable and potentially life-threatening. I wish the narrative was tighter and more structured because currently it reads like a long Op Ed piece. However, the details uncovered far outweighed her lackluster writing flair.
After reading this book and looking at how 1MDB unfolded in the Malaysia, I am utterly shocked by how popular Najib still is. His kleptocratic machinery and brazen embezzlement are comparable to Marcos and other Southeast Asian and South American dictators. Moreover, his regime wasted tax payers money and cut treasonous deals with a neighboring superpower to bail out a clearly mismanaged sovereign wealth fund.... In any other nation with healthily educated citizens, such a scandal concerning a public servant would have sent people to the streets. Yet the nation’s tolerance towards towards mismanagement and idolization of unchecked power are mind boggling.
After reading this book and looking at how 1MDB unfolded in the Malaysia, I am utterly shocked by how popular Najib still is. His kleptocratic machinery and brazen embezzlement are comparable to Marcos and other Southeast Asian and South American dictators. Moreover, his regime wasted tax payers money and cut treasonous deals with a neighboring superpower to bail out a clearly mismanaged sovereign wealth fund.... In any other nation with healthily educated citizens, such a scandal concerning a public servant would have sent people to the streets. Yet the nation’s tolerance towards towards mismanagement and idolization of unchecked power are mind boggling.
February 3, 2019
A blockbuster of a book! Clare's pursuit of the 1MDB story can only be called dogged, and she pursues like a Terrier. There are lot of details, perhaps a little too much for the avarage reader, but what a story! It reads like a Dan Brown novel, a page-turner. I feared that it would read like a typical exposé, well intended but without the punch to keep a reader enthralled to the end. I was glad to be proven wrong.
Clare had spent so much energy in gathering minute details and meeting all sorts of people, resulting in a story that equals Watergate. It may be about one far off country, but, gosh, what a story. This is investigative journalism at its best. Clare deserves a Pulitzer!
Clare had spent so much energy in gathering minute details and meeting all sorts of people, resulting in a story that equals Watergate. It may be about one far off country, but, gosh, what a story. This is investigative journalism at its best. Clare deserves a Pulitzer!
August 14, 2021
It’s hard not to compare this book with Billion Dollar Whale, but in my opinion this book is a lot more detailed with additional exposure on the corruption in Sabah/Sarawak. It definitely feels a lot more closer to home when reading this.
Although the fall of 1MDB/Najib is a product of a bunch of people but there is no doubt that none of this can happen without Clare. I’m just in awe of Clare’s tenacious and persistent character in getting the story out and if there’s anything to be highlighted from this book is her brilliant journalism techniques!
Although the fall of 1MDB/Najib is a product of a bunch of people but there is no doubt that none of this can happen without Clare. I’m just in awe of Clare’s tenacious and persistent character in getting the story out and if there’s anything to be highlighted from this book is her brilliant journalism techniques!
August 31, 2019
Very interesting book covering the corrupt practices plaguing Malaysian politics in the past decade or so, and was only published much later following the voting out of the sitting prime minister who lies at the heart of many of the issues described in the book. Sold as an account of the 1MDB scandal, which was of interest to many at the time (still is!) this book covers so much more starting from the illegal logging practices in Sarawak, which is what got Rewcastle-Brown started on the investigation trail in the first place. Clearly an insane amount of research went into the material that eventually came together for this book, including many sources of evidence which Rewcastle-Brown put herself in personal danger to acquire. From aboriginal villagers being robbed of their land to shady offshore companies, she really got hold of it all. I feel for her that the competing book Billion Dollar Whale was published at around the same time as this one (which I have bought but not yet read for comparison), when I believe she is the one that did most of the legwork on the research side of things. For her investigative prowess, Rewcastle-Brown (and consequently her blog the Sarawak Report) attained some element of a celebrity status, particularly in the lead-up to the 2018 election in which the kleptocratic government being described was deposed off through the ballot boxes, and she does have a short chapter at the end describing the outcome of the elections so it did feel like some closure to the “story” (some of what happened is so outrageous, it can almost be described as a story).
However, I thought the book was too unstructured for what it was, and the writing felt a bit all over the place. The chapters were named in a way that I thought was quite logical, based on what little I knew of the events described prior to reading this book, but the contents of the chapters tended to go off in unrelated tangents that got me confused at times. Coupled with the fact that there are many players in this multi-billion, multi-party international scandal (some real, some not-so-real), the lack of structure came through and it was hard to keep track of what was going on. I think there are some over-stretching of assumptions too – indeed there are inaccuracies that have been pointed out (leading to one re-publishing of the book already, and I see more being pointed out in the comments), there is already so much material that it becomes hard to separate fact from interpretation sometimes Even the blurb in Goodreads is a bit of a stretch, one woman alone quite certainly did not bring down the Malaysian government, if it were 100% because of her research then the unseating would have happened one election ago, instead there were many other factors involved (the most prominent one, in my opinion, is the former prime minister coming out of retirement to re-challenge the top seat). This made the book incredibly difficult to read – took me over a month to get through, and I’m a relatively quick reader.
None of this takes away the fact that it was a solid investigation overall, and did reveal things (particularly to the Malaysian public) which were being obscured from the eyes of voters by the ruling government. This isn’t easy to achieve, with all the political strings attached, and the turning of the tide in the most recent election shows that reveals like this one did have at least some effect. It was an interesting read, particularly for a topic that is so widely talked about in the streets of Malaysia. 3.5 stars, 4 on Goodreads for the amount of work that went into writing this.
However, I thought the book was too unstructured for what it was, and the writing felt a bit all over the place. The chapters were named in a way that I thought was quite logical, based on what little I knew of the events described prior to reading this book, but the contents of the chapters tended to go off in unrelated tangents that got me confused at times. Coupled with the fact that there are many players in this multi-billion, multi-party international scandal (some real, some not-so-real), the lack of structure came through and it was hard to keep track of what was going on. I think there are some over-stretching of assumptions too – indeed there are inaccuracies that have been pointed out (leading to one re-publishing of the book already, and I see more being pointed out in the comments), there is already so much material that it becomes hard to separate fact from interpretation sometimes Even the blurb in Goodreads is a bit of a stretch, one woman alone quite certainly did not bring down the Malaysian government, if it were 100% because of her research then the unseating would have happened one election ago, instead there were many other factors involved (the most prominent one, in my opinion, is the former prime minister coming out of retirement to re-challenge the top seat). This made the book incredibly difficult to read – took me over a month to get through, and I’m a relatively quick reader.
None of this takes away the fact that it was a solid investigation overall, and did reveal things (particularly to the Malaysian public) which were being obscured from the eyes of voters by the ruling government. This isn’t easy to achieve, with all the political strings attached, and the turning of the tide in the most recent election shows that reveals like this one did have at least some effect. It was an interesting read, particularly for a topic that is so widely talked about in the streets of Malaysia. 3.5 stars, 4 on Goodreads for the amount of work that went into writing this.
July 18, 2019
This is one of the hardest books I have ever read.
As an Malaysian expat for 2 years, I was curious about the world I lived in. In Kuala Lumpur, the malls, the skyscrapers, the food, and humid heat made for a heady combination. India is multicultural but there’s more in common than not. Here there seemed to be a hyper-distinct communal sense of belonging. The older generations kept to each themselves. The younger citizens worked and lived day to day. There were plenty of activities, myriad delicious, interesting food choices, and these became one of the important points of connections for everyone. I was a vegetarian so while I couldn’t partake, the food frenzy felt like home.
I was curious about the people’s inner lives. What was the socio-economic and political sentiment? I remember low rumblings in the Grab teksis, small discussions about how corrupt the government is, how scared everyone is to talk about anything.
Reading the newspapers did not feel fulfilling in my quest to know Malaysia better. I got a very narrow sense of the happenings. I traveled around Penang, Langkawi, Cameroon Highlands – The usual suspects for every Malaysian tourist. I still knew only the basics – Nasi Lemak is the Ultimate Comfort, perhaps contested only by a variety of Laksas. Bubble tea is a rage. KL thrived on finance sector companies. Malaysia was an Islamic and Oil-Petroleum based country. Everyone hated the heat, and banana leaf lunch was a given. But what made the people click? What made Malaysians Malaysian?
I turned to books to find out.
....
Clare Rewcastle-Brown. If I had ever taken up Journalism, she would have been my ultimate hero. She paints herself as the perfectly inquisitive, tenacious, reckless, and determined journalist. I don’t mind. She could be politically powerful by virtue of her marriage. Sure. Hollywood would have a field day with the white woman who saved the third world nation narrative. Yet. What she did, and went through, is still remarkable. She didn’t have to go through any of this. She could have given over the story, watched from the sidelines, or backed off. How Clare Rewcastle-Brown managed to write a damning book as elegantly as she did, given how invested she was almost single-handedly – I am in awe, can you tell?
Read more on my blog.
As an Malaysian expat for 2 years, I was curious about the world I lived in. In Kuala Lumpur, the malls, the skyscrapers, the food, and humid heat made for a heady combination. India is multicultural but there’s more in common than not. Here there seemed to be a hyper-distinct communal sense of belonging. The older generations kept to each themselves. The younger citizens worked and lived day to day. There were plenty of activities, myriad delicious, interesting food choices, and these became one of the important points of connections for everyone. I was a vegetarian so while I couldn’t partake, the food frenzy felt like home.
I was curious about the people’s inner lives. What was the socio-economic and political sentiment? I remember low rumblings in the Grab teksis, small discussions about how corrupt the government is, how scared everyone is to talk about anything.
Reading the newspapers did not feel fulfilling in my quest to know Malaysia better. I got a very narrow sense of the happenings. I traveled around Penang, Langkawi, Cameroon Highlands – The usual suspects for every Malaysian tourist. I still knew only the basics – Nasi Lemak is the Ultimate Comfort, perhaps contested only by a variety of Laksas. Bubble tea is a rage. KL thrived on finance sector companies. Malaysia was an Islamic and Oil-Petroleum based country. Everyone hated the heat, and banana leaf lunch was a given. But what made the people click? What made Malaysians Malaysian?
I turned to books to find out.
....
Clare Rewcastle-Brown. If I had ever taken up Journalism, she would have been my ultimate hero. She paints herself as the perfectly inquisitive, tenacious, reckless, and determined journalist. I don’t mind. She could be politically powerful by virtue of her marriage. Sure. Hollywood would have a field day with the white woman who saved the third world nation narrative. Yet. What she did, and went through, is still remarkable. She didn’t have to go through any of this. She could have given over the story, watched from the sidelines, or backed off. How Clare Rewcastle-Brown managed to write a damning book as elegantly as she did, given how invested she was almost single-handedly – I am in awe, can you tell?
Read more on my blog.
January 7, 2022
There is a lot of details to be processed but the story of one brave lady vs all the cronies stands out in the end!
September 18, 2021
When I was in school,I was never really into politics. I knew a little bit of this and that and that's it. But that changed when the story of 1MDB broke out and took the country by the most horrendous storm we've ever seen. From there,I started to educate myself more on it. Being a high school kid myself,I don't really know where to find a credible source to quench my thirst. But that didn't stop me. When I realised you can't trust Buletin Utama or Harian Metro for credible reporting,I went online. Didn't understand half of them but I just went with it.
When Najib's reign finally fell through,I was beyond ecstatic. The enemy has fallen! No more siphoning the hard earned money of our atuk & nenek,our aging parents and pensioners. Glad to finally have the corrupt gang gang answering to court summons.
I followed closely the 1MDB court cases. And I thought I knew it all. Until I read this book.
It took me months to finish this actually. Contrary to my usual record when it comes to reading. I can't fathom just how corrupt Najib and his gang gang was (still is I believed so). The amount of money they took is unfathomable. I can't even pronounce them in one try because there's too many zeros. Not to mention all those dirty,thug,mafia stuffs they did. Just to ensure they stay in power. Good luck surviving in hell,guys.
To Clare Brown,may you live a prosperous life after exposing the story of our former prime minister and his dirty laundry (no pun intended). Thank you!
When Najib's reign finally fell through,I was beyond ecstatic. The enemy has fallen! No more siphoning the hard earned money of our atuk & nenek,our aging parents and pensioners. Glad to finally have the corrupt gang gang answering to court summons.
I followed closely the 1MDB court cases. And I thought I knew it all. Until I read this book.
It took me months to finish this actually. Contrary to my usual record when it comes to reading. I can't fathom just how corrupt Najib and his gang gang was (still is I believed so). The amount of money they took is unfathomable. I can't even pronounce them in one try because there's too many zeros. Not to mention all those dirty,thug,mafia stuffs they did. Just to ensure they stay in power. Good luck surviving in hell,guys.
To Clare Brown,may you live a prosperous life after exposing the story of our former prime minister and his dirty laundry (no pun intended). Thank you!
January 12, 2019
Very thorough work - Thank you
It makes interesting reading. One would have thought it was fiction but it was not to be. The shortcomings are that the book is a bit too long and the writing does get quite technical. On the whole, an excellent book and thank you for exposing the greatest heist of all times. I look forward to Najib spending time in prison soon.
It makes interesting reading. One would have thought it was fiction but it was not to be. The shortcomings are that the book is a bit too long and the writing does get quite technical. On the whole, an excellent book and thank you for exposing the greatest heist of all times. I look forward to Najib spending time in prison soon.
February 18, 2019
A nail biting true story depicting a scandal of mammoth proportions.
A good read for a real life story of David Vs Goliath, how one journalist's grit and web of support helped topple one of the worst case of tyrannic corruption in modern times.
A good read for a real life story of David Vs Goliath, how one journalist's grit and web of support helped topple one of the worst case of tyrannic corruption in modern times.
March 6, 2019
2015 was a dark year for Malaysians. Najib Razak, the prime minister beleaguered with revelations of his stealing from the country's coffers, has struck his political opponents hard. His renegade deputy prime minister is sacked, along with other ministers who he sense animosity from. The attorney-general, the prosecutor of the nation was forced out from what was revealed to be his last job - an arrest warrant for the prime minister. Installing his loyalists into government, Najib began to put forth a series of authoritarian laws, one of which is a supposed 'Anti-Fake News Law' threatening anyone who put up news detrimental to the government in prison, effectively silencing freedom of speech in the country. To add salt to wound, a new goods tax is levied upon the nation, supposedly for the government to raise funds to cover the stolen monies. A specter of gloom hovered over the KL skyline, as Clare and other brave individuals continue to pursue and uncover the elusive story of one of the largest money laundering operations in the world.
Clare's involvement begins in Sarawak where as a investigative journalist she was drawn there to highlight the plight of the native population, displaced from timber and palm oil operations belonging to the state government head, Chief Minister Taib Mahmud. There she founded the website Sarawak Report and the radio station Radio Free Sarawak, uncovering the dirty deeds of the Chief Minister and the many companies belonging to his circle of friends and family. But as she started digging deeper, pieces of an even larger operation are starting to become uncovered. This would turn out to become none other than the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, which angered a nation and prompted the first change-of-government in Malaysian history.
True to the adage of reality is stranger than fiction, Clare's narrative ranges from descriptions of lavish excess from Najib's team of crooks holding extravagant parties full of debauchery, to a sinister machinery of online targeted attacks and misleading information campaigns, similar to those in the American election of 2016. Clare also had her share of suspicious stalkers watching her, necessitating her to arrange clandestine meetings with informants in airports or in between cab rides. Worrying still are reports of high-profile murders occurring in Malaysia, of a former Najib associate found blasted to pieces with military-grade explosives, a member of the anti-corruption investigation found buried in a cement-filled oil barrel, and a corporate bank founder shot in the head in the middle of KL. And in the heart of it all is the global financial system, with its web of shell companies and tax havens that Najib and associates have used to scam the nation of its sovereign funds, and they are certainly not the first ones to do this.
This book would not have seen the light of day if not for Malaysians themselves, who united and booted out Najib's government through the ballot box on May 9th, 2018. The people owes it to Clare whose investigations revealed Najib's greed and deceit, and also unraveled in detail the global money laundering networks facilitated by "developed" banks such as Goldman Sachs and ANZ of Australia. However, these institutions escaped with nary a slap on the wrist, and are set to facilitate even more stealing in a world of increasing wealth inequality. Meanwhile, the Sarawakian natives are still displaced from their native lands, and disenfranchised from basic necessities.
Clare's involvement begins in Sarawak where as a investigative journalist she was drawn there to highlight the plight of the native population, displaced from timber and palm oil operations belonging to the state government head, Chief Minister Taib Mahmud. There she founded the website Sarawak Report and the radio station Radio Free Sarawak, uncovering the dirty deeds of the Chief Minister and the many companies belonging to his circle of friends and family. But as she started digging deeper, pieces of an even larger operation are starting to become uncovered. This would turn out to become none other than the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, which angered a nation and prompted the first change-of-government in Malaysian history.
True to the adage of reality is stranger than fiction, Clare's narrative ranges from descriptions of lavish excess from Najib's team of crooks holding extravagant parties full of debauchery, to a sinister machinery of online targeted attacks and misleading information campaigns, similar to those in the American election of 2016. Clare also had her share of suspicious stalkers watching her, necessitating her to arrange clandestine meetings with informants in airports or in between cab rides. Worrying still are reports of high-profile murders occurring in Malaysia, of a former Najib associate found blasted to pieces with military-grade explosives, a member of the anti-corruption investigation found buried in a cement-filled oil barrel, and a corporate bank founder shot in the head in the middle of KL. And in the heart of it all is the global financial system, with its web of shell companies and tax havens that Najib and associates have used to scam the nation of its sovereign funds, and they are certainly not the first ones to do this.
This book would not have seen the light of day if not for Malaysians themselves, who united and booted out Najib's government through the ballot box on May 9th, 2018. The people owes it to Clare whose investigations revealed Najib's greed and deceit, and also unraveled in detail the global money laundering networks facilitated by "developed" banks such as Goldman Sachs and ANZ of Australia. However, these institutions escaped with nary a slap on the wrist, and are set to facilitate even more stealing in a world of increasing wealth inequality. Meanwhile, the Sarawakian natives are still displaced from their native lands, and disenfranchised from basic necessities.
February 9, 2020
Any Malaysian that reads this and still believes Jibby & Ros are innocent, never understood a word of it. This is brilliantly written and shows just how difficult it is to stop corruption in the world. When the international banking system is crooked AF. The big international Accountancy firms are so malleable all they see are fees. And those that spotted issues and maybe stepped down, still never reported on wrongdoing.
It showed how corrupt governments the world over are complicit in supporting corrupt politicians. How weak most standard media has been made because libal laws can be used by the rich and powerful to shut down most stories. It takes very brave and principled people to stand up to them and those people are asking for their lives to be messed with by greedy politicians and governments agents around the world. All looking for a piece of the corrupt pie. The Auction houses with their flog it and don't ask where the money came from attitude. The corrupt lawyers and financial advisers willing to help the corrupt hide their money away.
Bottom line. A brilliant book featuring some very brave souls. Lots of corrupt people, some government sanctioned murders and lots of governments who just stood back and let it happen because they also wanted a piece of the business pie, no matter how corruptly the money appeared.
Oh and just so you know. NONE of the major players in this story are in Jail. Najib and Ros are occasionally turning up in court and JoLho is nowhere to be seen. Corruption is everywhere. The worlds rich and powerful are held to a different (much lower) set of standards.
The real people lose everytime.
My prediction is Najib, Ros and JoLho will never spend any real time in jail. It's business as usual.
It showed how corrupt governments the world over are complicit in supporting corrupt politicians. How weak most standard media has been made because libal laws can be used by the rich and powerful to shut down most stories. It takes very brave and principled people to stand up to them and those people are asking for their lives to be messed with by greedy politicians and governments agents around the world. All looking for a piece of the corrupt pie. The Auction houses with their flog it and don't ask where the money came from attitude. The corrupt lawyers and financial advisers willing to help the corrupt hide their money away.
Bottom line. A brilliant book featuring some very brave souls. Lots of corrupt people, some government sanctioned murders and lots of governments who just stood back and let it happen because they also wanted a piece of the business pie, no matter how corruptly the money appeared.
Oh and just so you know. NONE of the major players in this story are in Jail. Najib and Ros are occasionally turning up in court and JoLho is nowhere to be seen. Corruption is everywhere. The worlds rich and powerful are held to a different (much lower) set of standards.
The real people lose everytime.
My prediction is Najib, Ros and JoLho will never spend any real time in jail. It's business as usual.
April 25, 2026
Is it a dense book? Absolutely. Pages and pages dedicated to listing a litany of financial transactions from various acronyms to other acronyms till your mind spins. But not one bit, however seemingly insignificant or inconsequential, can be removed — for in retaining every sliver of information related to the 1MDB scandal, it becomes the bible about Najib’s ignominious administration and its sins, and also serves to spotlight a heroic tale about a bunch of underdogs, who despite suffering immense persecution, censure, and various other forms of devious methods to discredit them or cower them into submission, choose to wage an information war against a deceitful, tyrannical government to expose the truth about its plundering of public funds, so as to ignite public outrage and galvanise action to right things. It is also important because it exposes how endemic corruption in every level of the Malaysian public service is, as well as, unsurprisingly, the complicity of high level bankers in supposedly reputable financial institutions — as well as their ability to get off lightly, despite the magnitude of their crimes. We see that when justice is served, it is often not equitable — at least imo. Top guys get a slap on the wrists while the low-level people take the fall. But that’s how the world runs I guess. Kudos to Clare Brown and her team for their doggedness and dedication to the exposing the truth. If you are a journalist or into investigative journalism, it is a must read.
September 12, 2019
A mind-blowing story how a group of unscrupulous politicians and their cronies stole several billion dollars and almost managed to steal an entire country. Reads like a thriller but is actually true. Includes a sobering account how top-league banks, respectable global law firms, film industry and several other sections of the Western economic and social fabric willingly assissted the crooks. Justice prevailed thanks to the dogged efforts of a small group of journalists (led by the author) and activists, courage of whistleblowers and slowly grinding mills of those law enforcement institutions that were beyond the reach of the crooks and their cronies. Ultimately it was the mobilisation of the Malaysians and their resolute vote despite all odds that turned the tide.
It shows that a free society can never take its freedom for granted but needs to fight to keep it, in every generation.
It shows that a free society can never take its freedom for granted but needs to fight to keep it, in every generation.
December 17, 2020
The book provides a detailed look into the investigative work that Clare has done for years into the blatant malfeasance by Malaysian leaders. Unlike The Billion Dollar Whale, this book provides a first-hand account of all the details. I have been reading Sarawak Report since 2011 and have met Clare personally at the event she gate-crashed in 2015 where she was repeatedly chased out by the Malaysian High Commissioner.
That said, the amount of typos in the book is concerning (some names were spelt differently even within the same page) which begs the question if the book was actually proofread before going to the prints or was it rushed just so it could get to the bookshelves earlier than The Billion Dollar Whale?
That said, the amount of typos in the book is concerning (some names were spelt differently even within the same page) which begs the question if the book was actually proofread before going to the prints or was it rushed just so it could get to the bookshelves earlier than The Billion Dollar Whale?
January 11, 2024
No joke, this book inspired me to complete masters degree (I read The Sarawak Report over the last few months of 2019. Enrolled with uni of Leicester in Match 2020. The author inspired me because she completed the book whilst working full time and raising children)
The passion and drive that Claire Rewcastle Brown has radiates on each page. This book is an accomplishment. The research is rock solid and shows the power of investigative journalism.
The book might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the story is one of insurmountable odds and a persons drive to build awareness of a crime for the ages.
Give it a try.
The passion and drive that Claire Rewcastle Brown has radiates on each page. This book is an accomplishment. The research is rock solid and shows the power of investigative journalism.
The book might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the story is one of insurmountable odds and a persons drive to build awareness of a crime for the ages.
Give it a try.
December 9, 2019
One of the best book I read. It gives me a new and more realistic perspective on this world I live in. The danger and darkness it fills with where money, assassination, secrecy, and spy seems to be the normalcy than fantasy or movie. It makes me question whether a more sceptical approach or cynical view on the book given the seemingly dramatic account of the events the author been through. As one of the actor in the final showdown of election for the throne of power, I enjoy the inside stories on how it built up to what seems to be the victory of the people.
January 6, 2019
From all the books on 1mdb available on the shelves, I’d say this is so far the best. But I couldn’t flip the page with boiling anger on eye-watering heists committed by Najib. I hope justice will be served soon. Thank you Clare for your sacrifice and effort to reveal the truth, out of your love towards Malaysia. Believe me you are a true hero to us!
November 7, 2018
Its a well written Book! very comprehensive coverage on 1MDB and all the party involved. If one is from Malaysia especially the Borneo side should really read this.
Elva Hsiao is a Taiwanese Singer and Actress. NOT Korean!
Elva Hsiao is a Taiwanese Singer and Actress. NOT Korean!
November 17, 2022
A very detailed and insightful account of the 1MDB scandal. This should be a must read for all Malaysians!
Thank you Ms Clare Rewcastle Brown and the Sarawak Report team for exposing the heinous crimes of the corrupt Malaysian officials. We, Malaysian, are blessed to have you all.
Thank you Ms Clare Rewcastle Brown and the Sarawak Report team for exposing the heinous crimes of the corrupt Malaysian officials. We, Malaysian, are blessed to have you all.
December 2, 2018
Najib bad deeds exposed
Clare has done an exhaustive job of laying out the details
of the world’s biggest heist. A lengthy informative read.
Clare has done an exhaustive job of laying out the details
of the world’s biggest heist. A lengthy informative read.
December 4, 2018
Detailed and enjoyable!
Great all throughout, except the details got bit tiring and confusing towards the end, hence missing out the 5 star.
Great all throughout, except the details got bit tiring and confusing towards the end, hence missing out the 5 star.
December 22, 2018
We Malaysian owe Clare a debt of gratitude with her inside story and news from her blog, Sarawak Report.
February 2, 2019
A must read
June 24, 2019
a great book on 1mdb fiasco. a must read to know about 1mdb.
January 21, 2020
Well that was harrowing: https://blogendorff.com/2020/01/21/bo...
February 7, 2020
An absolutely insightful book depicting how a determined journalist, Clare-Rewcastle Brown along with many other brave Malaysian politicians brought down the world’s biggest kleptocrat.
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