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Hanoi Rocks

Hanoi Rocks were a Finnish rock band formed in 1979. They were the first Finnish band to chart in the UK and they were also popular in Japan. By 1984, the band was considered to be on the verge of an international breakthrough when they released their first major label album for CBS and headed for their first US tour. The tour was however cut short when their drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley died in a drunk driving incident with Vince Neil behind the wheel in December 1984. The band never recovered from the loss and announced their split in June 1985. After their initial break-up, lead singer Michael Monroe became the first Finnish artist to chart on the American Billboard 200 in 1989. Monroe and original lead guitarist Andy McCoy reunited in 2001 with a new lineup that lasted until 2009. Although musically closer to traditional rock n' roll and punk, Hanoi Rocks has been cited as a major influence in the glam metal genre for bands such as Guns N' Roses, Skid Row and Poison.

According to Finnish radio and TV personality Jone Nikula, who was the band's tour manager in the 2000s, Hanoi Rocks's albums have sold between 780,000 and 1,000,000 copies around the world, mostly in Scandinavia and Japan.

The original line-up (Michael Monroe, Andy McCoy, Nasty Suicide, Sami Yaffa and Gyp Casino) reunited at Monroe's 60 year birthday concert on 23 September 2022 at the Helsinki Ice Hall.

Formation and early days (1979–1980)
Hanoi Rocks were formed in Helsinki in 1979 by Michael Monroe (Matti Fagerholm) and his friend, guitarist Andy McCoy (Antti Hulkko). McCoy did not join the band immediately, because he was the guitarist for the Finnish punk band Pelle Miljoona Oy. McCoy allowed Monroe to form the band with an agreement that McCoy would join later.

The original line-up of Hanoi Rocks was Michael Monroe on vocals, former Pelle Miljoona Oy guitarist Stefan Piesnack, Monroe's guitarist Nasty Suicide, bassist Nedo Soininen, and drummer Peki Sirola.

The band toured Finnish clubs, playing McCoy and Monroe's own songs and covers like Cheap Trick's "He's a Whore", The Police's "Born in the 50s" and MC5's "Looking at You". At one of the band's first shows was Seppo Vesterinen, who had brought big-name artists like Iggy Pop and Frank Zappa to Finland. Vesterinen soon became the band's manager after speaking with McCoy and Monroe. In late 1980 Andy McCoy left Pelle Miljoona Oy to join Hanoi Rocks, and was later joined by another former Pelle Miljoona Oy member, bassist Sami Yaffa. McCoy replaced Stefan Piesnack, who had been arrested for drug possession, and Yaffa replaced Nedo. By then Peki had left the band, and when they relocated to Stockholm, they hired an old friend of Monroe and McCoy's, drummer Gyp Casino.

Stockholm, early recordings and London (1980–1981)
When they moved to Stockholm, the bandmembers lived mostly on the street, begging for money, except Andy McCoy, who lived with his wealthy girlfriend. In November 1980, the band struck a deal with Johanna Kustannus and released its debut single, "I Want You / Kill City Kills". "I Want You" was a new version of the Swedish song "Vill ha dej" by Heartbreak. McCoy had translated the song, whose title means "I Want You" in Swedish, into English and claimed it as his own. "Kill City Kills" was one of McCoy's oldest songs, which he had written when he was hanging around at a Finnish apartment block called Kill City. Gyp Casino was the band's drummer but did not play on the single as he was recording with another band in Stockholm.

The band launched a 102-day tour in January 1981, which is believed to be the longest rock tour in Finnish history. The tour developed the band's energetic and wild playing style, which audiences were slow to find pleasing but later praised the band for.

The second single "Tragedy / Café Avenue", written by McCoy when he was fifteen or sixteen years old, was released in February 1981. That same month, the band released its debut album, Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks, produced by Michael Monroe and Andy McCoy, calling themselves "The Muddy Twins." The album was well-received, reaching number five on the Finnish album charts.

In September 1981, after extensive tours in Sweden and Finland, the band moved to London, where they recorded their second album. On 19 September 1981, the band made their debut at the Marquee Club in London. In late November they returned to Finland and released the single "Desperados / Devil Woman". Another single, "Dead by X-Mas / Nothing New", was released in December.

Oriental Beat and Razzle joins (1982)
In January 1982, Hanoi Rocks recorded their first music videos at the Lepakko, a concert venue and centre of independent youth culture, for the songs "Tragedy", "Oriental Beat", and "Motorvatin'". That same month, the band released their second album Oriental Beat. The album was mostly well received by critics and magazines, including Sounds and Kerrang!, whose Dave Dickson continued to extensively cover Hanoi Rocks's career in the 1980s. The band spent the spring of 1982 touring in Sweden, and had their first Japanese breakthrough with "Tragedy." In May, the single "Love's an Injection / Taxi Driver" was released.

By June 1982, the band had permanently moved to London. Monroe met a Hanoi Rocks fan called Razzle at a Johnny Thunders show. When Razzle, who was the drummer for London punk band The Dark, found out that Monroe was the singer for Hanoi Rocks, he attended some shows, showed up backstage, and asked to be the band's drummer. McCoy and Monroe fired Gyp Casino for his drug use, depression, and suicidal thoughts, and Razzle was hired as the new drummer.

In August 1982, Hanoi Rocks released their third studio album, Self Destruction Blues. The album featured old singles like "Love's an Injection". Razzle had yet to join the band when the songs were recorded, but he is credited on the album. The album was released in October in Finland, with "Love's an Injection" spending a week at number one on the Finnish singles charts. The band also signed a contract with the Japanese record company Nippon Phonogram.

Tour in Asia, Back to Mystery City and a deal with CBS (1983)
By January 1983, the band was touring outside of the UK, Finland, and Sweden. The Asian tour was largely covered by British magazines, and the band was featured on the cover of Sounds. The tour started in Bombay, continuing in Hong Kong and Japan. In Japan the band was very popular, with fans breaking into hotels to see the musicians. The ticket prices for the show were as high as for stadium-fillers, and some phone booths in Tokyo played Hanoi Rocks songs. The tour continued from Tokyo to Vietnam.

In April, the band returned to London for the recording of their fourth album, and went to Israel, where they were not well received. Monroe could not leave the hotel because of his somewhat unconventional appearance: local people thought he was an improperly-dressed woman and would gather around and spit on him. Also, Nasty Suicide broke his ankle; and people did not like the band's loud playing style. In late spring, Hanoi Rocks toured London and Norway, and released a single before the new album, "Malibu Beach / Rebel On The Run".

The band's fourth album, Back to Mystery City, was released shortly afterward. It reached number 87 on the UK Albums Chart. Hanoi Rocks toured the UK and in Finland until June 1983, when the band made a deal with CBS worth £150,000.

Bob Ezrin and All Those Wasted Years (1983–1984)
In August 1983, Hanoi Rocks released the 7" single "Until I Get You / Tragedy", and the 12" maxi-single "Until I Get You / Tragedy / Oriental Beat." On 13 August, Lick Records released Hanoi Rocks's first three albums in Britain for the first time. The next day, the band played a show at the Ruisrock festival in Turku, Finland. Before the show, Michael Monroe stated in an interview with the Finnish television station YLE that McCoy and Suicide's alcohol use had gotten out of hand, and that he did not drink or use drugs. In October 1983, producer Bob Ezrin flew from the US to see Hanoi Rocks live in London, and in December he was confirmed as the producer for the next album.

Their December shows at Marquee were recorded and released as a live album and an accompanying live video, both titled All Those Wasted Years.

Two Steps from the Move (1984)
In early 1984, Hanoi Rocks and Bob Ezrin recorded Two Steps from the Move, in New York and Toronto. Ezrin had invited Ian Hunter of Mott the Hoople to help with the songwriting, and Hunter brought Jack Bruce (formerly of Cream), who in turn brought Pete Brown, to the recording sessions. Brown wrote a lot of lyrics, but the only one the band used was "Smoked a lot of sky, drank a lot of rain", in "Million Miles Away".

By the end of April the new album was almost ready for release, but Ezrin and the label thought that the album was missing a hit, so they recorded Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Up Around the Bend", which was already a favorite of Michael Monroe and Nasty Suicide.

In May 1984, Hanoi Rocks went on tour in Bombay and Japan. In Japan, excitement over the band led to sold-out concert halls and fans following the band everywhere. Even in Finland people were baffled by the extent of the band's popularity in Japan.

The Japanese tour was followed by a tour across England and Scotland. British magazines raved about the band, and were certain that the next record would be their breakthrough. In June, the single "Up Around The Bend / Until I Get You" was released, but it also appeared as a double single and as an EP. A music video for "Up Around the Bend" was also produced. At the time it was the most expensive music video for any Finnish band. The song climbed to number 61 on the UK singles chart, and got radio airplay in America.

After a July tour in England, Two Steps from the Move, whose title was changed from Silver Missiles and Nightingales at the last minute, was released. It was their most successful album in the UK Albums Chart, where it peaked at number 28. "Underwater World / Shakes" and "Two Steps From the Move" were released as singles in the UK, and right away the band went on tour with Johnny Thunders.

In November the single "Don't You Ever Leave Me / Oil And Gasoline" was released, by which time the new album had sold 200,000 copies—most of them in the U.S. (60,000), Britain (50,000), and Finland (20,000). In the US the album sold 44,000 copies in its first two weeks.

After a Swedish tour, the band toured America until Michael Monroe fractured his ankle onstage at USA Sam's in Syracuse, New York, on 29 November, resulting in some of the dates being canceled. Los Angeles shows were all sold out in less than half an hour.

Razzle's death, Rock & Roll Divorce, and break-up (1984–1985)
On 8 December, Hanoi Rocks band members (except for Michael Monroe, who was recuperating from his fractured ankle) were partying with their friends Mötley Crüe, at lead singer Vince Neil's house. The party stopped when everybody noticed they were out of beer. Neil and Razzle, both drunk, went to a nearby liquor store in Neil's Pantera, with Neil driving. On the way back, they crashed into another car. Razzle was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead at 7:12 p.m.; he had died instantly in the collision.

Both occupants of the other car were seriously injured, sustaining brain damage as a result of the crash. Andy McCoy and Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee went looking for Neil and Razzle. They drove by the crash site and saw Neil handcuffed and put into a police car. They were informed that Razzle had been taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. McCoy informed the band's manager Seppo Vesterinen, who then told the rest of the band. The band returned to London. The only tour dates not canceled were two shows at Helsinki Kulttuuritalo on 3 and 4 January 1985, which were broadcast live under the title of "Europe A Go-Go" to a worldwide audience of 200 million viewers. Both shows became memorials to Razzle, with "Million Miles Away" dedicated to him. Former Clash drummer Terry Chimes played the drums.

In 1985, after the shows, Sam Yaffa left the group due to personal differences with Andy McCoy. The band returned to London to take a short break. Yaffa was replaced by bassist René Berg. Terry Chimes remained as the new drummer. Monroe planned to quit, but the record label convinced him to do a short tour in Poland, where "Don't You Ever Leave Me" was rising on the charts. Monroe agreed on the condition that no live record would be released, but a semi-official live album was released. Entitled Rock & Roll Divorce, the album was panned by the managers, band members and critics. René Berg often stated that Hanoi Rocks was "his band", which led to his replacement by bassist Timo Kaltio. This line-up never performed live, and on 17 June 1985, Monroe officially left Hanoi Rocks, ending the band. At the same time, "Don't You Ever Leave Me" rose to number 6 on the Polish singles chart and Hanoi Rocks's popularity continued into the 1990s.

Rebirth and new success (2001–2007)
In February 2001, Monroe and McCoy performed together for the first time since 1985 in Turku, Finland. They toured again in the summer of 2001, under the moniker "Hanoi Revisited".

After the short tour, Monroe and McCoy agreed to reform the band. This would be (as the two put it), a "rebirth", not a reformation of Hanoi Rocks, mainly because none of the other members were able to join: Razzle was dead; Nasty Suicide had become a pharmacist; Sami Yaffa was a member of a New York-based group called Mad Juana and the bassist for the New York Dolls; and Gyp Casino was no longer active in music. "The Muddy Twins" chose Kari "Lacu" Lahtinen from Monroe's solo band to play the drums, Timpa Laine (also from Monroe's solo band) to play the bass, and Costello Hautamäki from the Finnish rock band Popeda to play guitar.

The new Hanoi Rocks toured. McCoy and Monroe made a deal that they would be equal writers on songs, and not just McCoy. By 2002, the two had written enough songs for an album, and Twelve Shots on the Rocks was released. Although the album was a hit in Finland and Japan, Monroe and McCoy were not present when the album was mixed, and when they heard the finished product they were not happy. The album was remixed in 2003, featuring two new songs, "Moonlite Dance" and "Bad News".

Most of 2003 and 2004 consisted of touring, but Costello departed to continue his work with Popeda. Costello was replaced by guitarist Stevie Klasson, whose only recording with Hanoi Rocks was the "Keep Our Fire Burning" single. Klasson was fired from Hanoi Rocks in the fall of 2004 for not getting along with other members. Bassist Timpa left because of family issues.

In 2004 the band (now consisting of Monroe, McCoy and Lacu) headed to the studio to record the album Another Hostile Takeover. With no bassist and no guitarist, Monroe had to play some of the bass and guitar parts, but in early 2005 the band was able to find a new guitarist, Conny Bloom. Bloom had played with Gyp Casino and the Electric Boys and fit well with Hanoi Rocks. He suggested that bassist Andy "A.C." Christell, who had also played with the Electric Boys, should join the band.

The reaction to Another Hostile Takeover was mixed. Critics liked the album's diversity and braveness to try new things, but some of the old fans and hard rock fans thought that the album was weird and that Hanoi Rocks had changed too much since the 1980s.

In 2005 and 2006, the band toured in Europe and Asia.

On 18 August 2007 the band perform their new single 'Fashion' on Swedish Saturday live TV show Sommarkrysset (TV4). For 2007's Street Poetry the band worked on some of the unfinished songs from the 1980s, such as "Teenage Revolution", which was first thought of during the Two Steps from the Move sessions in 1984. This album also marked the first time that other band members besides Monroe and McCoy were permitted to write songs. Street Poetry was released on 5 September 2007, and a music video was shot for the first single, "Fashion".

The final break-up (2008–2009)
On 25 January 2008 Lacu suddenly announced that he was going to leave Hanoi Rocks to join Popeda. On 20 March, the band started their first acoustic tour, titled “Hanoi Rocks Steppin’ Out Acoustically”, during which the band's drum technician played drums. On 25 May, it was announced that the band's new drummer would be Swedish drummer George Atlagic. By this time Monroe and McCoy had come to the decision that Hanoi Rocks's time had come to an end, as they no longer had collaborated since 2007 and things were getting stale. Eventually Monroe and McCoy released a statement that they had taken the band as far as they could and that the band would break up.

In late 2008 an autobiography titled All Those Wasted Years was released. It mainly covered Hanoi Rocks's career in the 1980s and included rare photos of the band and its members and new interviews with Monroe, McCoy, Nasty Suicide, Gyp Casino, Seppo Vesterinen, Richard Bishop and countless others.

Hanoi Rocks announced that they would play eight farewell shows over six days at the Tavastia Club in Helsinki. All the shows were sold out, and the band's original guitarist Nasty Suicide appeared as a special guest in three of the last gigs, and Lacu also appeared at the final show.

The last show was released as a DVD in late 2009, titled Buried Alive.

Second reunion (2022)
On 23 September 2022, an early line-up of Michael Monroe, Andy McCoy, Nasty Suicide, Sami Yaffa and Gyp Casino reunited in celebration of Monroe's 60th birthday, at the Helsinki Ice Hall.

Legacy
Although Hanoi Rocks never achieved huge commercial success, they have a very big cult following and they have received critical acclaim for their musical style and energetic live performances. On 5 January 1985, Hanoi Rocks was featured in almost every category in a poll cast by Sounds, including Best Album (5th), Best Band (2nd) and Best Live Act (3rd).

Hanoi Rocks's influence can be seen in various bands, including Guns N' Roses, and their glam look has been used by many bands, including Poison, L.A. Guns and Ratt. Other bands like Manic Street Preachers, Murderdolls, Skid Row and the Foo Fighters have acknowledged being Hanoi Rocks fans. Alice in Chains also often played Hanoi Rocks's "Taxi Driver" live in their early days. Other Finnish rock groups that were influenced by Hanoi Rocks include The 69 Eyes (with whom McCoy has also worked) and Negative. In Finland, Hanoi Rocks is known as the Finnish rock band who, at their time, had come closest to real international fame, only much later giving way to such groups as HIM, Nightwish, Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius, Children of Bodom and Turisas.

Hanoi Rocks also brought the glam rock look of the 1970s back into style. In 2003, when Nasty Suicide was asked about the band's look, he said that he and Michael Monroe decided to keep the punk leather jackets but bring a kind of "transvestite vibe to it".

Even though Hanoi Rocks influenced many 1980s glam bands, some feel that these bands ripped off Hanoi Rocks. In 2008 Joe Elliott, frontman of English hard rock band Def Leppard, described his dislike of 1980s glam metal bands like Mötley Crüe and Poison, and said this about Hanoi Rocks:

"The only band — and I'm not saying it because we're here (Sweden Rock Festival) — the only band that did pull it off was Hanoi Rocks. I thought Hanoi Rocks were a good band, and they looked... Michael Monroe (Hanoi frontman) was one of the best... I would have shagged him. [Laughs] I like Michael, I think he's sexy, and I'm not gay. And I think Andy McCoy (Hanoi guitarist) does the best kind of Keith Richards... so much better than Mötley Crüe or Poison or any of those bands. They (Hanoi Rocks) were real — the rest of the guys, it was all a bit fake for me."

Michael Monroe and Hanoi Rocks have influenced many rock'n'roll artists and bands: Slash and Duff McKagan had bought tickets to the sold-out gigs in Los Angeles, which were canceled because of the death of Razzle. In the Hanoi Rocks autobiography "All Those Wasted Years" Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett says "The Hollywood scene changed in just one night after people saw the pictures of Hanoi Rocks. After that everyone was wearing the same kind of hair, clothes and make up as Monroe". Michael Monroe and Hanoi Rocks have often been mentioned as the starters of the Hollywood's glam-rock scene, which was then adopted and developed by many 1980s glam, punk, and hard rock bands like Mötley Crüe, Jetboy, LA Guns and Poison.

Hanoi Rocks is cited as one of the most influential glam metal bands of all time in the Metal: A Headbanger's Journey documentary movie.

American TV Channel VH1 named the top "hair bands" of all time, and Hanoi Rocks was at number 40. When Sam Yaffa was asked about it, he replied: "We were a hat band, not a hair band!".

In 2013, American newspaper LA Weekly listed Hanoi Rocks at number 1 on their list of the "15 Best Hair Metal Bands of All Time".

Andy McCoy has said that the Guns N' Roses song "Paradise City" is a compilation of a few riffs of Hanoi Rocks. He said the chorus is the same as the riff in "Lost in the City", just slowed down. Nasty Suicide can also be seen in the music video for "Paradise City".

The Guns N' Roses song "Right Next Door to Hell" was co-written by former Hanoi Rocks bassist Timo Kaltio.

Hanoi Rocks is mentioned in the Bret Michaels song "Human Zoo" on his 1998 soundtrack album, A Letter from Death Row.

Hanoi Rocks is mentioned in the NOFX song "We Got Two Jealous Agains" on their 2003 album The War on Errorism.

Hanoi Rocks is mentioned in the Red House Painters song "Cruiser" on their 2001 album Old Ramon.

The fictional character Peacemaker mentions Hanoi Rocks as "only the greatest band of all time" in the eponymous 2022 TV series. The same episode also features Hanoi Rocks songs "11th Street Kids" and "Fallen Star".

Band members

 * Final members
 * Michael Monroe – lead vocals, saxophone, harmonica, occasional drums, keyboards (1979–1985, 2002–2009, 2022)
 * Nasty Suicide – rhythm and lead guitar, backing and occasional lead vocals (1979–1985, guest appearances in the 2000s, 2022)
 * Andy McCoy – lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals, occasional keyboards, piano (1980–1985, 2002–2009, 2022)
 * Sami Yaffa – bass guitar, backing vocals (1980–1985, 2022)
 * Gyp Casino – drums (1980–1982, 2022)
 * Former members
 * Peki Sirola – drums (1979–1980)
 * Nedo Soininen – bass guitar (1979–1980)
 * Stefan Piesnack – lead and rhythm guitar (1979–1980)
 * Tumppi Varonen – drums (1980)
 * Razzle – drums, backing and occasional lead vocals (1982–1984; died 1984)
 * Terry Chimes – drums (1985)
 * René Berg – bass guitar (1985; died 2003)
 * Timo Kaltio – bass guitar (1985; died 2021)
 * Lacu – drums (2002–2008)
 * Timppa Laine – bass guitar (2002–2004)
 * Costello Hautamäki – rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals (2002–2004)
 * Stevie Klasson – rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals (2004)
 * Conny Bloom – rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals (2004–2009)
 * Andy "A.C." Christell – bass guitar, backing vocals (2005–2009)
 * George Atlagic – drums (2008–2009)

Timeline

Discography

 * Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks (1981)
 * Oriental Beat (1982)
 * Self Destruction Blues (1982)
 * Back to Mystery City (1983)
 * Two Steps from the Move (1984)
 * Twelve Shots on the Rocks (2002)
 * Another Hostile Takeover (2005)
 * Street Poetry (2007)

Videography

 * All Those Wasted Years – The Marquee Club
 * The Nottingham Tapes – Rock City (in Nottingham)
 * Buried Alive – Last show at the Tavastia Club

title: Hanoi Rocks


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Nyenschantz

Nyenschantz (Nyenskans; Ниеншанц; Nevanlinna) was a Swedish fortress at the confluence of the Neva River and Okhta River, the site of present-day Saint Petersburg, Russia. Nyenschantz was built in 1611 to establish Swedish rule in Ingria, which had been annexed from the Tsardom of Russia during the Time of Troubles. The town of Nyen, which formed around Nyenschantz, became a wealthy trading center and a capital of Swedish Ingria during the 17th century. In 1702, Nyenschantz and Nyen were conquered by Russia during the Great Northern War, and the new Russian capital of Saint Petersburg was established here by Peter the Great the following year.

The fortress Landskrona
During excavations in 1992–2000, the remnants of three different medieval fortresses were found at the site of the Nyenschantz fortress. The only one known historically is the Swedish fortress Landskrona, built in 1300 by Tyrgils Knutsson, the Lord High Constable of Sweden. Landskrona was an enormous and unusually well-fortified wooden fortress with eight towers. In the spring of 1301, the Russians amassed a large army and laid siege to the fortress. The Swedes retreated to the basement when a fire broke out inside the fortress. The last of the Swedish defenders were captured, and the Russians burned down the fortress.

Background
In 1609, the Vyborg Treaty was signed by Sweden and Tsardom of Russia as a package of military agreements that were supposed to be mutually beneficial. It was signed by King Charles IX of Sweden and Vasili IV (also known as Vasily Shuisky) of Russia in the Swedish city of Vyborg, located on the Karelian Isthmus close to Russian territory. The treaty came at an unstable period in Russian history known as the Time of Troubles, where the death of Tsar Feodor I in 1598 led to decades of civil war. In 1605, following the death of de facto ruler Boris Godunov, Vasily Shuisky came to power, triggering a conflict with a pretender to the Russian throne, False Dmitry II. Additionally, Russia began fighting the Polish–Russian War following the invasion of the country by the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth the same year. Sweden itself was fighting against the Poles in the Polish–Swedish War and viewed their eastward expansion into Russian lands as a security threat. The terms of the Vyborg Treaty stipulated that Sweden would supply a corps of mercenaries to Shuisky to fight False Dmitry II and the Poles in exchange for Swedish control of the nearby strategic Korela Fortress, as well as its town Kexholm and the respective county. Shuisky agreed to the terms but was an unpopular ruler with little power. Shortly after signing the Vyborg Treaty, Russia's fortunes began to rise, and Shuisky was forced out of power in 1610. A coalition between Swedish general Jacob de la Gardie and Russian princes launched the De la Gardie Campaign, effectively defeating False Dmitry II.

Nyenskans
The Ingrian War was triggered in 1610 as the new stability of Russia led to increased resistance to Polish occupation and Swedish influence in the country. As the Poles were defeated in Moscow, Russia began to actively resist the Swedish influence as they sought to regain control over occupied territories, including the province of Ingria, which Sweden insisted on keeping based on Russia violating conditions in the Vyborg Treaty. Sweden constructed a fortress in Ingria at a strategic position at the confluence of the prominent Neva River and one of its tributaries, the Okhta River. The new fort was officially named Nyenskans, derived from the Swedish terms Nyen-, the name for the Neva, and -skans meaning "bastion", and was capable of housing 500 people. The Ingrian War ended in Swedish victory in 1617 after the signing of the Treaty of Stolbovo, resulting in Russia ceding the territories to Sweden. In 1632, the settlement of Nyen was developed across the Okhta from Nyenskans, which was granted town privileges and became the administrative centre of Swedish Ingria in 1642. By the mid-17th century, Nyen had prospered as a trading hub with around 2,000 people, making it much more prominent and wealthier than Swedish Ingria's new capital, Nöteborg. According to church records, the town's population was primarily made up of Finns, secondarily Swedes, and some Germans. Around this time, Nyen's governor, John Geselia the Younger, banned Orthodox Christian Swedish subjects from settling in or near the town following tensions with Lutherans. The ban on Orthodox residents effectively cleansed Nyen of ethnic Russian, Izhorian, and Karelian inhabitants.

In 1656, Nyenskans was attacked by Russia during an invasion led by Pyotr Potemkin. The attack was repelled, but it badly damaged Nyen, and Sweden moved the administrative centre of Swedish Ingria from Nöteborg to Narva.

In 1677, the defences of Nyenskans and Nyen were enforced by a ring of new fortifications consisting of lunettes with batteries and moats. By the end of the 17th century, Nyenskans entered its final form after it had been modernized by an extensive project led by engineer Heinrich von Soylenberg. The fort was expanded to house 600 people, converted into a star fort featuring five wooden and earthen bastions, two additional ravelins, crownworks along the bastions not pointing towards the rivers, and a smaller accompanying half-fort built on the opposite bank of the Neva. Upon the completion of the project, Nyenskans was thought by Sweden to be the most modern fortress in the world at the time. By the turn of the 18th century, numerous Swedish and Finnish suburban manors were built outside the Nyen fortification ring. Most were along the Neva, some of which were located at a considerable distance from the city.

In 1700, the danger of Russian invasion increased following the beginning of the Great Northern War, which resumed formal hostilities between Sweden and Russia. Reportedly, in October 1702, Sweden feared an imminent Russian invasion of Nyen, evacuating the city's population and burning it down to prevent the Russians from taking it.

Saint Petersburg
On May 1, 1703, Sweden lost Nyenskans to the Russians when the fortress was taken by Peter the Great during the Ingrian campaign of the Great Northern War. The site of Nyenskans and Nyen was reformed by Peter into the new city of Schlötburg, meaning "Neck-town" in German, a reference to the long, narrow section of the Neva where it was located, with "Schlöt" corresponding to "(funnel) neck, narrows, chimney". Schlötburg stood in contrast to Shlisselburg ("Key-town"), the new name for Nöteborg at the other end of the Neva River, which Peter believed was the "Key to Ingria". The last Swedish commandant of Nyenskans was Colonel Johan Apolloff, who was preceded by Colonel Alexander Pereswetoff-Morath, a descendant of Russian noblemen, boyars, who had entered Swedish service in the first decades of the 17th century. Nyenskans, under the name Schlötburg, functioned in Russian service only for some weeks before it was retired as an active military garrison.

In 1703, Peter decided to found Saint Petersburg, a brand new capital city for the Tsardom of Russia, from scratch in the Neva River delta on the land around Nyenskans. Peter had disliked Moscow, Russia's largest city and historical capital, which he considered inconveniently located and too isolated from the rest of Europe. He also had an interest in seafaring and maritime affairs, believing Russia needed a new port city to replace Arkhangelsk, which he similarly considered to be inconveniently located. Technically, the land still officially belonged to Sweden and was occupied during fighting in the Great Northern War, but despite this, construction of the city began anyway.

The exact fate of Nyenskans is unknown, with sources ranging from its almost complete demolition as early as 1704 to its repurposing and remaining intact as late as the 1760s. Other documents and maps suggest Nyenskans was gradually demolished over the following decades as Saint Petersburg expanded onto the land in the direct vicinity of the fort. By 1849, the central strengthening of Nyenskans was still known to exist, although the exact date of its demolition is also unknown.

Today, nothing above the ground remains of Nyenskans, and the site is now in Saint Petersburg's Krasnogvardeysky District. On June 15, 2000, a monument designed by V. A. Reppo was opened on the site of the fortress. In May 2003, on the 300th anniversary of Saint Petersburg, the museum "700 years: Landskrona, the Neva Mouth, Nyenschantz" was opened at the site of the fortress. In early 2007, the remains of Nyenskans' bastions were identified during archaeological excavations, which were necessitated by the threat of irrecoverable exploitation of the entire site to development from the territory of demolished shipyard Petrozavod to the grounds for planned skyscraper headquarters of the Moscow-based national natural gas monopoly Gazprom, Okhta Center, that would dwarf the beautiful cityscape. This caused protests from the city conservation activists, but they defended the location only after archeologists found remains of the star fort and preceding structures. Gazprom eventually moved the construction site to the northwest outskirt of the city Lakhta (from Finnish lahti "bay, inlet"), and the skyscraper crosscut as a star fort is now known as Lakhta Center. It may also hold public activity and leisure spaces as well as offices.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Nyenschantz


text:
Najib Razak

Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak (محمد نجيب بن عبد الرزاق, ; born 23 July 1953) is a Malaysian politician who served as the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia from 2009 to 2018. In 2020, he was convicted of corruption in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal, one of the largest money-laundering and embezzlement scandals in history. He is the son of former prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein. Najib Razak was the chairman of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition from April 2009 to May 2018 and the president of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) from November 2008 to May 2018, which had maintained control of Malaysia's government with a parliamentary majority for more than sixty years until the coalition's defeat in the 2018 general election.

Najib was elected to the Parliament of Malaysia in 1976, at the age of 23, replacing his deceased father in the Pahang-based seat of Pekan. In the same year, he was appointed the head of UMNO Youth's Pekan branch and became a member of the youth wing's Executive Council. In the early years of his political career, Najib took on a deputy minister role in 1976, and between 1982 and 1986, he was the Menteri Besar of Pahang. Thereafter, until 2009, he was rotated throughout the Cabinet of Malaysia, taking on various ministerial portfolios in defence, education, culture, youth and sports, and finally finance. Between 1993 and 2009, Najib was a vice-president of UMNO.

Najib's tenure as prime minister, between 2009 and 2018, was marked by economic liberalisation measures, such as cuts to government subsidies, loosening of restrictions on foreign investment, and reductions in preferential measures for ethnic Malays in business. After the 2013 election, his government pursued a number of its critics on sedition charges, the imprisonment of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim following a conviction for sodomy and the implementation of a Goods and Services Tax (GST). He was Prime Minister during the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disaster and a dispute with North Korea following the assassination of Kim Jong-nam. In 2015, Najib became implicated in a major corruption scandal involving state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) which led to rallies calling for his resignation, spearheaded by the grassroots movement Bersih. These protests culminated in the Malaysian Citizens' Declaration by Mahathir Mohamad, Pakatan Harapan and NGOs which sought to oust Najib.

Najib's response to the corruption accusations was to tighten his grip on power by replacing then-deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, suspending two newspapers and pushing through parliament a controversial National Security Council Bill that provides the prime minister with unprecedented powers. Najib's various subsidy cuts have contributed to soaring living costs, while fluctuating oil prices and the fallout from the 1MDB scandal led to a depreciation of the Malaysian currency. These ended with BN's loss in the 2018 general elections. Najib then conceded defeat and promised to help facilitate a smooth transition of power.

On 3 July 2018, Najib was arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which investigated how RM42 million (US$10.6 million) went from SRC International, a company related to 1MDB, into Najib's bank account. In the process, the police seized a number of fashion accessories worth $273 million while searching through his properties. Najib was subsequently charged and convicted by the High Court on abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust, becoming the first Prime Minister of Malaysia to be convicted of corruption, and was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment and fined RM210 million. The sentence was upheld by the Federal Court on 23 August 2022. He is currently serving his sentence in Kajang Prison.

Early life and education
Najib was born on 23 July 1953 at the Pahang State Secretary official residence in Bukit Bius, Kuala Lipis, Pahang. Najib is the eldest of second Malaysian Prime Minister Abdul Razak's six sons, and the nephew of the third PM Hussein Onn. His younger brother, Dato' Seri Mohd Nazir Abdul Razak, runs the country's second-largest lender, Bumiputra-Commerce Holdings Bhd. Najib is also one of the Four Noblemen of the Pahang Darul Makmur (Royal Court) by virtue of his inherited title as the Orang Kaya Indera Shahbandar. He received his primary and secondary education at St. John's Institution, Kuala Lumpur. He later attended Malvern College in Worcestershire, England, and subsequently went to the University of Nottingham, where he received a bachelor's degree in industrial economics in 1974. Najib Razak returned to Malaysia in 1974 and entered the business world, serving briefly at Bank Negara Malaysia and later with Petronas (Malaysia's national oil company) as a public affairs manager.

Early political career
The eldest son of Malaysian Prime Minister, Abdul Razak Hussein, was elected to the Parliament of Malaysia in 1976 replacing his deceased father in the Pahang-based seat of Pekan. The national outpouring of grief following Tun Razak's death and the respect for his father helped Najib win election unopposed as Member of Parliament at the very young age of 23. In 1986 Najib won re-election to the same seat.

From 1982 to 1986 he was the Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) of Pahang, before holding various cabinet posts throughout the remainder of the 1980s and 1990s, including Defence and Education. In 2004 he became Deputy Prime Minister under Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and replaced him 2009. Under his leadership, Barisan Nasional won the 2013 elections, although for the first time in Malaysia's history the opposition won the majority of the popular vote.

Najib was first assigned into the Cabinet of Malaysia at the age of 25 when he was appointed Deputy Minister of Energy, Telecommunications and Post in 1978, becoming the youngest deputy minister in the country. He served as the Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) of Pahang between 1982 and 1986, becoming the youngest Menteri Besar in the state to enter office when he was sworn in at the age of 29. In 1986 he was appointed as Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports in the Cabinet of Mahathir Mohamad. He focused on improving Malaysian sports and introduced the National Sports Policy in 1988. In 1989 Malaysia achieved its best-ever performance at the South East Asia (SEA) Games, held in Kuala Lumpur. Najib was appointed head of UMNO Youth's Pekan branch and became a member of UMNO Youth's Executive Council (Exco) in 1976. In 1981, he was selected as a member of UMNO's Supreme Council, before winning the post of Vice-President of UMNO Youth in 1982.

On 26 October 1987, the then leader of the opposition, Lim Kit Siang, called for the Anti-Corruption Agency to investigate how Najib, who was then Pahang MB, could give approval for a logging concession of 2000 acres to a resident of a low-cost housing estate. He asked ACA to investigate whether the logging concessionnaire was in fact a nominee for Najib himself.

In 1987, Najib was selected as the acting head of the Movement of UMNO Youth by Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim after Anwar was asked to contest the post of UMNO Vice-President. Following mounting ethnic tensions anti-Chinese sentiments were expressed at a UMNO Youth rally held in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur the same year where Najib spoke. Rising tensions soon lead to fears of ethnic violence and eventually resulted in a security operation known as Operasi Lalang, that included numerous administrative detentions.

Following the complete reorganisation and founding of the "New" UMNO by Mahathir Mohamad in the aftermath of the 1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis, Najib was appointed president of UMNO Youth in 1988.

By 1993, Najib was elected as one of six vice-presidents of UMNO in response to Anwar's decision to contest as the deputy president of UMNO. Najib continued to defend his post in party elections held in 1993, 1996, and 2004.

Minister for Defence (1991–1995)
In 1991, Mahathir appointed Najib as Minister of Defence. Under Najib's direction, Malaysian troops were deployed to assist the UN peacekeeping forces in Bosnia in 1993 during the Bosnian War. Malaysian forces were greeted warmly by Bosnians as well as Serbs and Croats. Malaysia also assisted peacekeeping operations in Somalia in 1993, losing one soldier in an effort to aid US soldiers during the Battle of Mogadishu. Najib later criticised the UN's Somalia operation as putting too much emphasis on military action. Since then Malaysia has stated a preference for participating in Chapter 6 "peace enforcement" missions, rather than Chapter 7 "peacekeeping" missions. After four years at the Ministry of Defence, Najib assumed control of the Education Ministry in 1995. He returned to the Ministry of Defence in 2000.

Japanese raped Malay comfort women but UMNO leader Najib Razak blocked all attempts by other UMNO members like Mustapha Yakub at asking Japan for compensation and apologies.

Minister for Education (1995–2000)
In 1995, Najib left the Defence Ministry for the first time when he was appointed Minister of Education. His challenge was to respond to Malaysia's newly proclaimed aspiration to become a fully developed nation by 2020. The 1996 Private Higher Education Institutions Act, allowed foreign universities to establish degree-conferring schools in Malaysia, providing greater educational opportunities for Malaysians and positioning Malaysia as a regional learning hub.

During the 1999 general elections Najib suffered a major setback when he barely won re-election to the Parliament by a margin of 241 votes, compared to a margin of over 10,000 in the previous election. This is a surprise to political observers.

Return as Minister for Defence (2000–2008)
During his second tenure as Minister of Defence Najib coordinated Malaysia's relief efforts following the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, and provided support to Indonesia in arresting those responsible for the 2005 Bali bombings. Najib also oversaw the deployment of Malaysian troops as a part of a UN peacekeeping force in 2006, when Malaysia volunteered to help stabilise Lebanon following the 2006 Lebanon War.

As Defence Minister, Najib instituted compulsory military service in December 2003, stating that it would encourage interaction and friendship between youth of different ethnic groups and religions. During its first five years of operation, over 339,000 Malaysian youth participated in the PLKN (the Bahasa Malaysian acronym for "Malaysian National Service"), which is intended to promote tolerance, teamwork, and community engagement. The programme, however, has faced challenges. Safety issues in the program have been reported and several people died during or shortly after their terms of service during the program's first few years. In response, Najib strengthened the PLKN's health screening requirements and reinforced the government's commitment to punish negligent PLKN officials.

The Altantuyaa affair
French courts investigated allegations of corruption in the purchases of two Scorpène-class submarine submarines, by the Malaysian Ministry of Defence in 2002, at a time when Najib was the minister of defence. The allegations are that Abdul Razak Baginda, an aide of Najib, received "commission" payments from the French submarine builder DCNS. Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa, a Mongolian woman hired as a French translator to facilitate the purchase of the submarines and mistress to Baginda, tried to blackmail Baginda for a $500,000 cut and was subsequently murdered. 2 policemen, who were bodyguards posted to Najib, were charged and found guilty. Reviewing the Altantuyaa case, Tommy Thomas, Attorney General of Malaysia from 2018 to 2020, wrote that the evidence "implicated not only Najib Razak as the person who gave [one of the bodyguards] the order to kill, but also his aide-de-camp, Musa Safri".

Deputy Prime Minister (2004–2009)
In 2004, Mahathir retired and was replaced by his deputy, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Najib became Deputy Prime Minister and was given a broad portfolio of responsibilities, including oversight of FELDA, the Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM), and the Election Commission (EC). Najib also chaired more than 28 cabinet committees. He remained as Minister for Defence.

In September 2008, Najib became the Minister for Finance, handing the Defence portfolio to Badawi. During the global financial crisis, Malaysia faced a strong recession and reduced levels of trade throughout the South Asian region. In response, Najib announced a series of stimulus packages to be implemented over a two-year period with the intention of acting as a countercyclical response that might otherwise protect Malaysia's economy. He also pressed for the country to move beyond existing manufacturing capabilities through education, research and development to develop greater strength as a provider of sophisticated business services.

Becoming Prime Minister
After a poor showing by the ruling UMNO coalition in the elections of 8 March 2008 in which opposition parties gained control of five of thirteen Malaysian state governments, Badawi identified Najib as his intended successor. On 8 October 2008, Prime Minister Badawi announced he would step down in March 2009, paving the way for Najib to succeed him. However he said the onus was on Najib to win party elections set for March before he could take over. Najib ran for the presidency of UMNO and went on to win on 2 November 2008, without contest.

On 26 March 2009, Najib won the UMNO presidency unopposed. He was sworn in as Prime Minister of Malaysia on 3 April 2009 In 2012, Najib also assumed the role of women, family and community development minister, a position he held until the 2013 election.

Prime Minister (2009–2018)
During his tenure as Prime Minister, Najib implemented various economic and infrastructure development programs, including the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) initiative. However, his leadership was marred by allegations of corruption and misappropriation of funds related to the 1MDB scandal, which led to his political downfall. In this scandal, it was alleged that billions of dollars were siphoned off from the 1MDB state investment fund, which Najib was closely associated with, into his personal accounts and those of his associates. These funds were purportedly used for various personal expenses, including luxury real estate, artwork, and even financing the production of Hollywood films.

Najib consistently denied any wrongdoing and claimed that the funds in his personal accounts were donations from a Saudi royal family member, which he said were used for political purposes and not for personal gain. However, investigations by various authorities in multiple countries, including the United States and Switzerland, uncovered evidence suggesting a different story.

In 2018, Najib's political career faced a significant setback when his party, Barisan Nasional, lost the general elections to the Pakatan Harapan coalition. Subsequently, he faced legal charges related to the 1MDB scandal.

1Malaysia
1Malaysia is an ongoing campaign announced by Najib on 16 September 2008, calling for the cabinet, government agencies, and civil servants to emphasise ethnic harmony, national unity, and efficient governance. The eight values of 1Malaysia as articulated by Najib are perseverance, a culture of excellence, acceptance, loyalty, education, humility, integrity, and meritocracy. While the concept aimed to promote national unity and inclusiveness, some critics argued that it was primarily a political slogan and that it did not lead to significant policy changes to address the underlying issues of ethnic and cultural diversity in the country.

On 17 September 2008, Najib launched 1Malaysia.com.my in an effort to communicate with the citizens of Malaysia more efficiently and support the broader 1Malaysia campaign. He has used the site to highlight his policy initiatives and to provide a forum for Malaysians to their government. The 1Malaysia campaign makes extensive use of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Research has suggested that Najib and UMNO have made extensive efforts to establish a favourable online presence through the recruitment and support of bloggers and other social media users, sometimes known as 'cybertroopers.'

However, Najib has been criticised for an apparent deterioration of race relations in Malaysia during his tenure that has occurred despite the 1Malaysia programme. In 2014, the long-serving former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad withdrew his support for Najib citing, among other things, the abandonment by Chinese voters of the Barisan Nasional coalition. Najib's tenure has also been marked by increasingly aggressive racial rhetoric from elements within Najib's UMNO party, particularly towards Chinese Malaysians. Additionally, there were concerns that the government's efforts to promote 1Malaysia were seen by some as a way to consolidate power and influence.

So, while the 1Malaysia concept was intended to promote unity and inclusiveness, it did face controversy and criticism from various quarters during Najib Razak's tenure as Prime Minister.

BR1M Project
The first BR1M Project was a scheme devised by Najib Razak to help poor Malaysians. The amount of RM 500.00 Ringgit Malaysia was given to households with an income of less than RM 3,000 a month.

The second BR1M Project, also known as BR1M 2.0, with more than 2.5 billion ringgit will be distributed to Malaysians nationwide. This will affect 5.7 million household all over the country. In addition to the RM 500.00 for household, the government has also allocated RM 250.00 to single individuals. Those who have received RM 500.00 from the first BR1M project need not apply as it will be automatically processed.

BR1M 4.0, which was announced in 2014, saw an increase in handouts from RM 650 to RM 950 for individuals earning less than RM 2,000.00, while households earning less than RM 4,000 will receive RM 750.

Housing Programme
Perumahan Rakyat 1Malaysia (PR1MA) Berhad was established under the PR1MA Act 2012 to plan, develop, construct and maintain affordable lifestyle housing for middle-income households in key urban centres. Middle-income is defined as a monthly household (husband and wife) income of between RM 2,500 and RM 7,500.

PR1MA will be the first organisation that exclusively targets this middle segment with homes ranging from RM 100,000 to RM 400,000 in a sustainable community.

National Security Council Bill 2015
In December 2015, the National Security Council Bill 2015 was passed in Parliament after a marathon six-hour debate. The bill provides the Prime Minister of Malaysia with unprecedented powers, such as the ability to define what constitutes a security issue as well as deem any part of Malaysia a security area. Within that area, authorities may make arrests, conduct searches or seize property without a warrant. The bill was criticised by rights groups as inviting government abuse. The Malaysian Bar called it a "lurch towards an authoritarian government". The government has defended the bill, with cabinet minister Shahidan Kassim saying the law is necessary to enable better co-ordination and a uniform response in the event the country is faced with security threats, and that the law does not contravene the basic human rights guaranteed under the federal constitution.

New Economic Model
On 2 May 2009, Najib announced the government's plan to develop a New Economic Model that will speed Malaysia's transition to a high-income country. The plan will emphasise ways to increase the income and productivity of workers by encouraging knowledge industries and increasing investment from overseas.

Reform of government subsidies
Najib has started to implement comprehensive reform of government subsidies. On 16 July 2010, subsidies for petrol, diesel and LPG were cut as part of Malaysia's general programme of reducing and rationalising subsidies per the 10th Malaysia Plan and the New Economic Model. The government believes it will save RM 750 million by the end of 2010 through these measures with little negative impact on most citizens. Sugar and fuel subsidies were selected for reform because they disproportionately benefit the wealthy and foreigners, encourage over-consumption and create opportunities for fraud and smuggling. Najib expressed his hope that Malaysians would adopt a healthier lifestyle. He said, "there is no logic in the government allocating subsidies worth almost RM1 billion on a commodity that could endanger the people's health". Responding to concerns about how these reforms might affect the poor, the Prime Minister's Office pointed out that Malaysia will still be spending RM 7.82 billion per year on fuel and sugar subsidies and that prices for these commodities would remain the lowest in Southeast Asia. The government also stated that education and health care would continue receiving state support.

Economic liberalisation
Malaysia has implemented substantial measures to attract foreign investment including a moderation of preferences designed to benefit ethnic Malays. Specifically these reforms include allowing foreign investors to hold majority stakes in most enterprises excluding "strategic" industries such as banking, telecommunications, and energy, easing insurance regulation, curtailing powers of the Foreign Investment Committee and lowering the minimum quota for Malay ownership in publicly traded companies from 30 percent to 12.5 percent. As he introduced the reforms Najib stated, "The world is changing quickly and we must be ready to change with it or risk being left behind."

Since these reforms have been implemented, the American banking firms Goldman Sachs and Citigroup have been granted permission to expand their operations in Malaysia. Goldman Sachs received licenses to set up fund management and advisory operations. Citigroup has obtained a permit to offer brokerage services. The approval of these licenses is a sharp break from Malaysia's history of domestically dominated and tightly regulated markets for financial services.

The International Institute for Management Development responded to these and other reforms by increasing Malaysia's ranking to the 10th-most competitive economy in the world in 2010 from 18th in 2009. Malaysia, which is now ranked fifth in the Asia Pacific region, scored well in business and government efficiency. Economists attributed the rise of Malaysia's ranking to the efforts of the Malaysian government to improve the country's business environment such as the New Economic Model, the Government Transformation Programme and the Economic Transformation Programme.

Stimulus packages
The Malaysian government passed two stimulus packages to mitigate the effects of the global economic downturn. The first stimulus package, worth RM 7 billion, was announced on 4 November 2008. The second package, worth RM 60 billion, was announced on 10 March 2009. Since assuming office as Prime Minister, Najib has been monitoring the progress of the stimulus packages on a weekly basis. Government economists believe that the stimulus packages have successfully generated increased economic activity, especially in the construction sector. Malaysia's central bank reported that Malaysia's economy grew at an annualised rate of 9.5% during the first half of 2010. Najib says the country is on track to meet the 6% average annual growth to reach its goal of becoming a developed country by 2020. Commenting on this same economic data Najib said that as of August 2010 there were no plans for further economic stimulus. Rather he said the government would focus on improving Malaysia's economic fundamentals and increasing investment.

Palestine
The government of Malaysia has long been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank. Malaysia also supports unity between the Palestinian Fatah and Hamas factions. Najib visited the West Bank with his wife Rosmah Mansor, escorted by senior officers of the Malaysian government. Najib became the first Muslim leader from South East Asia to set foot on Palestinian soil. Najib says Palestinians can count on Malaysia, but for there to be lasting peace, Hamas and Fatah must unite to safeguard the safety and security of the Palestinian people. Malaysia will give Palestine the moral, financial and political support it needs to rise above its struggles, but securing a future of lasting peace hinges on the Palestinians being united. Najib also stated that for Palestine to move towards having a future it envisioned, Palestinians would have to take the first step – to unite among themselves.

United States
Najib's visit in September 2017 to the United States on the invitation of President Donald Trump successfully strengthened the Comprehensive Partnership that was established between Malaysia and the United States in 2014.

Najib enjoyed a close personal relationship with then US President Barack Obama and managed to upgrade Malaysia-US relations to a 'comprehensive partnership'.

Najib and Obama met just before the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington on 12 April 2010. This was their first one-on-one meeting. During their talk, Obama sought further assistance from Malaysia in stemming nuclear proliferation which Obama described as the greatest threat to world security. During the summit, Najib stressed that Malaysia only supported nuclear programmes designed for peaceful purposes. Najib's attendance at the summit was part of a week-long official visit to the United States.

India

Najib travelled to India on a five-day state visit in January 2010. His 200-strong entourage included cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, state government officials, members of parliament, and prominent business leaders. During his visit, Najib pushed for a free-trade agreement and co-operation across a wide range of fields. Najib and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed an extradition treaty and agreements to co-operate in the areas of higher education and finance. The two countries agreed to sign a free-trade agreement before the end of 2010 and Najib called for signing a "Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement" by the same date. These economic agreements have resulted in plans for RM 1.6 trillion in investment for Malaysia. In January 2010, Najib announced plans to develop a new visa regime for Indian nationals, specifically for managers and knowledge workers to visit Malaysia.

Singapore
Najib made a two-day visit to Singapore, on 21–22 May 2009. During the visit, both Najib and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong agreed to move bilateral relations forward in a more productive manner and will either set aside or resolve the "legacy" problems between the two countries. During a speech in Singapore, Najib said he hoped his visit would signal "the beginning of a new era" between the two countries.

in 2010 Najib resolved a key diplomatic problem between the two countries by ending the impasse over transportation links and Singaporean investment in Iskandar Malaysia. He and Lee Hsien Loong have agreed to modify the Points of Agreement signed in 1990. Specifically, the two sides have promised to move the KTM railway station from Tanjung Pagar to Woodlands, set up a joint venture to be called M-S Pte Ltd to develop Marina One, and DUO in Bugis but the railway tracks were replaced by the "Green Corridor", develop a rapid transit and high-speed rail links, and allow Temasek and Khazanah to set up a joint venture for the purpose of developing a town in Iskandar Malaysia.

South Korea
Najib attended the ASEAN-South Korea Summit on 1 June 2009 hosted by South Korean President Lee Myung Bak. During the summit, the ASEAN-Korea Investment Agreement was signed to boost economic and trade relations between ASEAN and South Korea After the summit, Najib said Malaysia is keen on emulating South Korea in developing a small-scale nuclear reactor for power generation, as well as South Korea's other low-carbon green technology.

China
Najib made a four-day visit to China on 2–5 June 2009. During the visit, Najib mentioned his family's special relationship with China, noting that his father, and Malaysia's second Prime Minister, first established diplomatic relations with China in 1974. During the visit, several substantive issues were discussed in meetings between Najib and Chinese President Hu Jintao and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. The two sides signed an endorsed strategic action plan covering 13 major areas, which will serve as the guideline for relations between Malaysia and China. Najib described the trip as most fruitful. Najib also received an honorary doctorate in international relations from the Beijing Foreign Studies University.

Indonesia

Najib made a visit to Indonesia on 22–24 April 2009. Several issues were discussed, including co-operation in the tourism, oil and gas, and high-technology industries, as well as electricity supply from the Bakun dam to Kalimantan. Najib and his entourage also attended an official dinner hosted by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his wife Ani Yudhoyono.

New Zealand
Under Najib's government, Malaysia signed a free-trade agreement (FTA) with New Zealand on 26 October 2009 to take effect 1 August 2010. The agreement will reduce or eliminate tariffs on thousands of industrial and agricultural products. The two countries have also agreed to reciprocate most-favoured nation status in private education, engineering services, environmental protection, mining services and information technology.

Myanmar
In a protest rally in December 2016, Najib criticized the Myanmar authorities for the military crackdown on Rohingya Muslims, and described the ongoing persecution as "genocide".

Philippines and the Moro people of Mindanao
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front has always favoured Malaysia as a mediator in their effort of becoming an autonomous state. On 15 October 2012, the Moro rebels and Philippine authorities devised a peace agreement brokered by Malaysia. During the official signing ceremony, the Malaysian government was invited as a witness to the treaty.

LCS scandal
Najib has been implicated in the misappropriation of funds in the purchase of littoral combat ships (LCS). There is a perception that Najib was "the most powerful decision-maker" in the LCS procurement arrangements as he was both prime minister and finance minister at the time (April 2009). In 2022, Najib commented that the project was given to contractor Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd because it was owned by the Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT) and all profits of the project would thus go to the armed forces.

14th Malaysian general election
Malaysia held its 14th general election in May 2018. Barisan Nasional was dealt a surprising defeat, failing to win a majority for the first time in the country's history. Observers credited the unpopular Goods and Services Tax as well as the swirling 1MDB corruption scandal as key factors in the defeat. On 12 May 2018, Najib resigned as President of UMNO and Chairman of BN and was replaced by UMNO vice-president, Hishammuddin Hussein.

Post-premiership (2018–present)
Najib accepted the defeat and pledged to facilitate a smooth transfer of power. On 12 May 2018, three days after he lost the general elections, a flight manifest stated that Najib and his wife, Rosmah were taking a private jet to Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport in Jakarta. In response, the Immigration Department, upon the orders of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, imposed a travel ban barring their exit from the country. Amidst the country's mood turning against him, Najib resigned as the leader of UMNO and Barisan Nasional on the same day.

The newly elected Pakatan Harapan government swiftly reopened investigations into the 1MDB scandal. Since 16 May 2018, the Malaysian police have searched six properties linked to Najib and Rosmah as part of the investigation into the 1MDB scandal. They have seized 284 boxes filled with designer handbags, 72 large luggage bags containing cash in multiple currencies, and other valuables. The Malaysian police commissioner confirmed that the police seized goods with an estimated value of between US$223 and US$273 million. The police described it as the biggest seizure in Malaysian history.

In January 2019, a 7-second video clip of Najib uttered "Malu Apa Bossku" ("What's there to be ashamed of my boss") went viral on the internet. Najib later released a picture of him posed on a Yamaha Y150 motorcycle with the registration plate 8055KU (BOSSKU). The catchphrase and the picture went viral on social media, especially with Malay youths, and inspired videos, memes, t-shirts, caps, vehicle stickers and a music video. The phenomenon has contributed to Najib's rise in popularity. Najib also claimed that his "Bossku" phenomenon has contributed to a victory for his party in 2020 Kimanis by-election.

In December 2023, his lawyer Mohamed Shafee Abdullah stated that Najib already requested to pursue Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) while serving his jail sentence in the prison.

COVID-19 measure violations
On 6 May 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, Najib was given two fines amounting to RM3,000 for failing to comply with standard operating procedures (SOPs) of the conditional movement control order (CMCO) at a chicken rice restaurant. On 11 January 2022, the police opened an investigation into an event attended by Najib over claims that there was a breach of COVID-19 SOPs.

On 27 February 2022, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said he will review a video depicting Najib purportedly violating COVID-19 SOPs during a campaign visit in Perling, Johor. On 10 March 2022, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin revealed that his ministry had issued 42 compound notices for the violation of SOPs during the campaign period for the Johor election, including five to Najib.

Murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu
Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu disappeared outside the house of Abdul Razak Baginda, formerly a close associate of Najib, on October 19, 2006. She was never seen alive again. Three weeks later, her remains were found in a forest in Selangor. In 2008, Abdul Razak was acquitted by the High Court of abetment in the murder of Altantuyaa. In 2015, Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar were found guilty of her murder and sentenced to death. In 2007, a Mongolian witness caused a stir in court when she revealed that Altantuya had been photographed having a meal with a Malaysian government official named 'Najib'. Detective P. Balasubramaniam also linked Najib to Altantuya in a statutory declaration (SD) on July 3, 2008. Najib has repeatedly denied knowing Altantuya or that he had any part in her death. Reviewing the Altantuyaa case, Tommy Thomas, Attorney General of Malaysia from 2018 to 2020, wrote that the evidence "implicated not only Najib Razak as the person who gave [one of the bodyguards] the order to kill, but also his aide-de-camp, Musa Safri".

1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal
On 2 July 2015, The Wall Street Journal ran an exposé alleging that MYR 2.672 billion (US$700 million) had been channelled from 1MDB into Najib's personal bank accounts, triggering widespread calls for his resignation. Najib denied any wrongdoing and announced plans to sue the newspaper for libel but eventually failed to do so. On 6 July 2015, amid the 1MDB scandal, the ringgit fell to 3.8050 against the US dollar, the first time it slid beyond the 3.80 currency peg, which was lifted in 2005. To back up the allegations, on 7 July 2015, The Wall Street Journal released a batch of partially redacted documents that purportedly show how nearly US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) was moved from 1MDB into Najib's personal bank accounts. These documents relate to transactions in March 2013, December 2014 and February 2015.

The multi-agency task force investigating these allegations reported on 10 July 2015 that Najib's bank accounts at AmBank Islamic were closed before The Wall Street Journal reported the transfers of billions of ringgit to those accounts, thereby confirming that Najib had two accounts at that bank. The task force also confirmed that the six accounts it had just frozen did not belong to Najib but did not name the holders of those accounts Najib's handling of the corruption scandal was criticised by, among others, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and then Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. During Najib's mid-term Cabinet reshuffle on 28 July 2015, Najib dropped Muhyiddin from his position as Deputy Prime Minister, as well as other Ministers who had been critical of his leadership. Najib stated that the reason for this was to create a more "unified team".

On 1 August 2015, Najib addressed UMNO delegates in Seremban and in a clear reference to the Sarawak Report, the London-based whistleblower site founded and operated by journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown, demanded that "white people" stay out of Malaysia's affairs and stressed that he valued loyalty above all, and not smart people.

On 3 August 2015, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission stated that the RM 2.6 billion that had been banked into Najib's personal account came from donors, not 1MDB, but did not elaborate on who the donors were or why the funds were transferred, nor why this explanation had taken so long to emerge since the allegations were first made on 2 July 2015. Umno Kuantan division chief Wan Adnan Wan Mamat later claimed that the RM 2.6 billion was from Saudi Arabia as thanks for fighting ISIS. He further claimed that the Muslim community in the Philippines as well as southern Thailand had also received similar donations, and that since the donations were made to Najib personally as opposed to UMNO, the funds were deposited into Najib's personal accounts.

The scandal took a dramatic twist on 28 August 2015 when a member of Najib's own party, Anina Saaduddin, UMNO's Langkawi Wanita (women's) representative, filed a civil suit against him alleging a breach of duties as trustee and that he defrauded party members by failing to disclose receipt of the donated funds, and account for their use. This suit was filed in the Kuala Lumpur High Court and also named party Executive Secretary Abdul Rauf Yusof. Expressing fear that Najib would wield influence to remove any member of UMNO "for the sole purpose of avoiding liability" the court was also petitioned for an injunction to restrain UMNO, its Supreme Council, state liaison body, divisions and branches from removing the nominal plaintiff as a party member pending the determination of the suit. The plaintiff also sought repayment amounting to US$650 million, the amount allegedly deposited by Najib to a Singapore bank, an account of all monies that he had received in the form of donations, details of all monies in the AmPrivate Banking Account No 2112022009694 allegedly belonging to Najib, along with damages, costs, and other reliefs.

On 21 September 2015, the New York Times reported that US investigators were investigating allegations of corruption involving Najib as well as people close to him. In particular, investigators focused on properties in the United States that were purchased in recent years by shell companies owned by Najib's stepson Riza Aziz or connected to a close family friend, as well as a $681 million payment made to what is believed to be Najib's personal bank account.

The claimed MYR 2.6 billion "donation" into Najib's personal accounts led the opposition to table a no-confidence motion against Najib, on 18 October 2015.

On 26 January 2016, Malaysia's Attorney General Mohamed Apandi Ali announced that the investigation into the $681 million payment into Najib's personal bank account had been closed. The Anti-Corruption Commission investigating the gift, led by Apandi, concluded that no laws had been broken and that the gift did not amount to graft. Apandi was appointed attorney general by Najib in August 2015 after the previous attorney general, Abdul Gani Patail, was abruptly dismissed by Najib. Although Bernama, Malaysia's state-run news service, reported that Abdul Gani was removed for health reasons, many speculated that his dismissal was related to the 1MDB corruption investigation. The Attorney General then said that the [Saudi Royal Family] was the source of the $681 million gift, although doubts remained as the Saudi ministries of foreign affairs and finance had no information on the purported gift.

Najib was reported to have returned $620 million to the Saudi royal family in 2013, but no explanation was given as to the reason for the investment or what happened to the $61 million Najib did not return. Najib hailed the results of the investigation and reiterated his denial of any wrongdoing.

On 28 March 2016, the Australian television programme Four Corners in an episode called State of Fear: Murder and Money in Malaysia, aired new allegations about the large sums of money that have flowed into the bank accounts of Najib Razak.

On 30 March 2016, the Wall Street Journal, Time and several other news agencies reported that Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor had spent $15 million on luxury goods and extravagant travel expenses. During Najib Razak's golf diplomacy with U.S. President Barack Obama on 24 December 2014, Malaysian investigation documents show that Rosmah Mansor had purchased items amounting to $130,625 at a Chanel store in Honolulu, Hawaii. The allegation was confirmed when a store employee at the Chanel store in the upscale Ala Moana Center recalled Najib's wife shopping there just before 25 December 2014.

In April 2016, Mohd Nazifuddin Najib, the son of Najib, was named in the Panama Papers.

In July 2016, the United States Department of Justice launched a civil lawsuit to seize American assets worth over US$1 billion (4.1 billion MYR) allegedly obtained from US$3.5 billion (14.38 billion MYR) of misappropriated 1MDB funds. Within the civil lawsuit, a government official of high rank who had control over 1MDB was referred to as "Malaysian Official 1", and mentioned over 30 times. "Malaysian Official 1" was alleged to have received around US$681 million (2.797 billion MYR) of stolen 1MDB money via Falcon Bank, Singapore on 21 and 25 March 2013, of which US$650 million (2.0 billion MYR) was sent back to Falcon Bank on 30 August 2013. In September 2016, Najib was identified as "Malaysian Official 1" by Abdul Rahman Dahlan, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and the Barisan Nasional strategic communications director. Dahlan also claimed that Najib was not named because he was "not part of this investigation".

On 15 June 2017, The United States Department of Justice followed up on its July 2016 lawsuit by issuing a civil action in rem to forfeit assets involved in and traceable to an international conspiracy to launder money misappropriated from 1Malaysia Development Berhad ("a strategic investment and development company wholly-owned by the government of Malaysia"). The writ provided detailed justifications for seeing to forfeit specific items and property located in the United States and abroad, including in the United Kingdom and Switzerland.

As a consequence of the 15 June 2017 writ, on 28 February 2018 Indonesian authorities seized the luxury yacht linked to the 1MDB investigations in waters off Bali, on behalf of the FBI. Additionally, on 7 March 2018 in Californian courts, the producers of the 'Wolf of Wall Street' film agreed to pay $60m to settle Justice Department claims it financed the movie with money siphoned from 1MDB.

In a speech in December 2017, US attorney general Jeff Sessions said of the scandal: "This is kleptocracy at its worst."

Subsequent arrest, legal proceedings and conviction
On 3 July 2018 after the 14th Malaysian general election, Najib was arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) as part of investigations into how RM42 million (US$10.6 million) went from SRC International into Najib's bank account. The following day, Najib was indicted in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur on three counts of criminal breach of trust and one count of abuse of power in connection with SRC International funds totalling RM42 million. He was granted bail at RM1 million after pleading not guilty with his trial set for 18 February 2019.

On 8 August 2018, Najib was charged with three further counts of money laundering as part of the MACC's investigation into the 1MDB scandal. Najib has denied making three transfers totaling RM42 from SRC International into his bank accounts.

On 10 September 2018, Najib posted a copy of the letter that purportedly came from Prince Saud Abdulaziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia on his Facebook account, as a proof of the alleged financial donation of US$100mil (RM304.5mil) given to him in 2011. He said he decided to reveal the documents in a bid to clear his name of various accusations and slander, and would continue to do so on his social media accounts.

On 19 September 2018, Najib was arrested following two hours of questioning by the MACC, believed to be in relation to the RM2.6 billion donation he received in year 2013. Najib was charged on 20 September 2018 at the Sessions Court in Jalan Duta. However, he pleaded not guilty and was released on bail after his court appearance. On 21 September, he made a brief appearance at the Sessions Court registry to sign his bail at RM3.5 million for 25 counts of money laundering and abuse of power charges in relation to 1MDB. He has posted RM1 million for his bail, while the remaining RM2.5 million will be settled in instalments by the following week. In August 2019, during his second trial, Najib faces four charges of abuse of power and 21 charges of money laundering for receiving illegal transfers of RM 2.3 billion between 2011 and 2014.

On 28 July 2020, the High Court convicted Najib guilty on all seven counts of abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust in relation to the SRC International case, becoming the first Prime Minister of Malaysia to be convicted of corruption. High Court judge Mohamad Nazlan bin Mohamad Ghazali has delivered the verdict regarding the misappropriation of RM42 million (US$10 million) from SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1MDB. In total, Najib faces 42 charges, of which 35 in another four trials are yet to be decided on.

On the day of his conviction, Najib was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment and a fine of RM210 million (for the first charge). He was also given six concurrent sentences of 10 years' imprisonment for the other six charges. If he fails to pay the fine, he will be serving another five years in prison. He would be appealing against the verdict of the High Court. The High Court granted a stay of execution of the conviction with an increased bail of RM 2 million with reporting to the police on the first and the fifth day of every month.

Appeal
Najib's appeal hearing in front of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia began on 5 April 2021. On 8 December 2021, the Court of Appeal of Malaysia dismissed Najib's appeal, therefore upholding both his conviction and 12-year sentence. Judge Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil has also condemned Najib's actions as a "national embarrassment". Najib's lawyer stated that his client, who remained outside prison on bail, would further appeal to the Federal Court of Malaysia against his conviction and sentence. On 16 August 2022, Malaysia's supreme court rejected Najib's appeal for a retrial, stating that the case had no evidence of bias. The Federal Court indicated that it would hear a final appeal by Razak in the SRC corruption case from 18 August 2022.

On 23 August 2022, when the Federal Court was finishing hearing the appeal, Najib's counsel made an application to recuse the Chief Justice Tengku Maimun. This application was dismissed and the Federal Court upheld the Court of Appeal's conviction, handing down its full judgment here. Upon the dissolution of Parliament on 10 October 2022, Najib's Pekan parliamentary seat was automatically vacated, and as he has been convicted of a crime, he is no longer eligible to stand in general elections.

Najib is the first Malaysian former prime minister to be convicted and jailed for corruption. Rumours that he would receive special treatment during his sentence were denied by officials.

On 2 February 2024, the Malaysian pardons board, headed by the outgoing Yang di-Pertuan Agong Abdullah of Pahang announced that it had reduced Najib's sentence to six years and reduced fines imposed on him to 50 million ringgit ($10.59 million). On 3 April, Najib submitted an application in court requesting that his jail sentenced be converted to house arrest, which was rejected on 3 July.

Personal life
In 1976, Najib married Tengku Puteri Zainah Tengku Eskandar ('Kui Yie') with whom he has three children: Mohd Nizar Najib (born 1978), Mohd Nazifuddin Najib and Puteri Norlisa Najib.

In 1987, he divorced Kui Yie and married Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor with whom he has two children: Mohd Norashman Najib and Nooryana Najwa Najib. His daughter Nooryana is married to the nephew of former Kazakhstani President, Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Najib's extravagant lifestyle garnered significant attention and controversy during his time in power. His wife Rosmah faced scrutiny for her expensive shopping habits, which allegedly included purchasing luxury handbags, jewelry, and clothing from top fashion brands. A large collection of designer handbags, some of which were worth millions of dollars, was seized from their properties during investigations. Najib was accused of using state funds for personal expenses, including covering credit card bills and luxury purchases. These allegations became a focal point of the 1MDB scandal.

Najib Razak is an avid golf lover and is known to have played golf with the two US Presidents – Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Trump referred to Najib as his "favourite prime minister".

Najib Razak has four long-haired cats, named Kiki, Leo, Tiger and Simba.

Honours of Malaysia

 * Pahang :
 * MY-PAH Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang - Knight Companion - DSAP.svg Knight Companion of the Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (DSAP) – Dato'
 * MY-PAH Order of the Crown of Pahang - Grand Knight - SIMP.svg Grand Knight of the Order of the Crown of Pahang (SIMP) – formerly Dato', now Dato' Indera
 * MY-PAH Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang - Grand Knight - SSAP.svg Grand Knight of the Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (SSAP) – Dato' Sri (1985)
 * MY-PAH Family Order of the Crown of Indra of Pahang - DK II.svg Member 2nd class of the Family Order of the Crown of Indra of Pahang (DK II) (2010)
 * Sarawak :
 * MY-SAR Order of the Star of Sarawak - 2 ribbon PNBS -JBS-PBS-ABS-BBS.svg Knight Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of Sarawak (PNBS) – Dato Sri (1990)
 * [[File:MY-SAR Order of the Star of the Hornbill (Bintang Kenyalang) - 1. Knight Grand Commander (DP).svg|50px]] Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of Hornbill Sarawak (DP) – Datuk Patinggi (2008)
 * Sabah :
 * MY-SAB Order of Kinabalu - SPDK.svg Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) – Datuk Seri Panglima (2002)
 * Selangor :
 * MY-SEL Order of the Crown of Selangor - Knight Commander - DPMS.svg Knight Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor (DPMS) – Dato' (1992, suspended 6 May 2019, revoked 12 September 2022)
 * MY-SEL Order of the Crown of Selangor - Knight Grand Commander - SPMS.svg Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor (SPMS) – Dato' Seri (2004, suspended 6 May 2019, revoked 12 September 2022)
 * Perak :
 * MY-PERA Perak Family Order of Sultan Azlan Shah - SPSA (2000).svg Ordinary Class of the Perak Family Order of Sultan Azlan Shah (SPSA) – Dato' Seri Diraja (2004)
 * Kelantan :
 * MY-KEL Order of the Crown of Kelantan - Star of Muhammad.svg Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Kelantan (SPMK) – Dato' (2004)
 * Negeri Sembilan :
 * MY-NEG Order of Loyalty to Negeri Sembilan.svg Knight Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to Negeri Sembilan (SPNS) – Dato' Seri Utama (2005, revoked 26 October 2018 )
 * Perlis :
 * [[File:MY-PERL Order of the Gallant Prince Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail - Knight Grand Companion - SSSJ.svg|50px]] Knight Grand Companion of the Order of the Gallant Prince Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail (SSSJ) – Dato' Seri Diraja (2007)
 * Malacca :
 * MY-MAL Exalted Order of Malacca.svg Knight Grand Commander of the Premier and Exalted Order of Malacca (DUNM) – Datuk Seri Utama (2007)
 * Kedah :
 * MY-KED Supreme Order of Sri Mahawangsa (DMK).svg Member of the Supreme Order of Sri Mahawangsa (DMK) – Dato' Seri Utama (2008)
 * Penang :
 * MY-PEN Order of the Defender of State - Knight Grand Commander - DUPN.svg Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of State (DUPN) – Dato' Seri Utama (2009, revoked 15 September 2022 )

Foreign honours

 * 🇧🇭 Bahrain :
 * Order_of_Bahrain,_1st_class.png King Hamad Order for Development – (2017)
 * Order_of_Ahmad_the_Conqueror.gif King Hamad (Al Nahda) First Medal – (2017)
 * Brunei :
 * BRU Family Order of Brunei 1st Class.svg Family Order of Brunei 1st Class (DK) – Dato Laila Utama (2010)
 * 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia :
 * Order_of_King_Abdulaziz,_1st_Class_(Saudi_Arabia).png Member 1st Class of the Order of Abdulaziz al Saud – (2010)
 * 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates :
 * Ribbon bar of the Order of the Union (United Arab Emirates).svg Order of the Union Medal – (2014)

Honorary degrees

 * 🇲🇾 Malaysia :
 * Honorary Ph.D. degree in Social Transformation from Limkokwing University (2008)
 * Honorary Ph.D. degree from Monash University (2011)
 * 🇯🇵 Japan :
 * Honorary Ph.D. degree from Meiji University (2010)
 * Palestine :
 * Honorary Ph.D. degree from al-Aqsa University (2013)

Other
On 1 February 2016, FinanceAsia has named Najib as the worst finance minister in 2016. The magazine said that 2015 had been a challenging year for the Malaysian economy, with a "double whammy" of the 1MDB scandal and the collapse in oil prices.

title: Najib Razak