14 years later, ex-detainee repays Malaysia’s Najib for life-changing second chance

A Malaysian tofu pudding seller has pledged to donate 10,000 ringgit (US$2,452) to help former prime minister Najib Razak cover his 50 million ringgit fine, describing the contribution as a personal payback for a lifeline extended to him 14 years ago.In a social media post, Sunny Seow, founder of the Sunnycoco brand, shared that his motivation stemmed from a pivotal moment in 2012 when he was serving a sentence in Perak state’s Manjung for past mistakes.During a visit by Najib to the area that year, Seow sought the help of a local village chief to submit an appeal to the home ministry requesting an early release to care for his elderly parents.“Unexpectedly, I received a notification from the home ministry that I could end my detention early and return home,” Seow said. “For others, it might be just a letter or a bit of assistance, but for me at that time, it was an opportunity to start anew.”Following his early release, Seow rebuilt his life by starting a small business selling tofu pudding.“Seeing Datuk Seri Najib hoping to return home to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest reminds me of where I was 14 years ago,” Seow said.“Back then, when I needed help, he helped me. Today, within my ability, I want to do my part to repay that kindness.”01:03Malaysia’s Najib Razak allowed to serve the rest of his term under house arrestCalculating that he earns roughly 1 ringgit in profit per bowl, Seow noted that his 10,000 ringgit contribution represents the profits of 10,000 bowls of tofu pudding.He clarified that his gesture was neither politically motivated nor a call for others to follow suit.“This is just a debt of gratitude I owe and want to repay in my own way,” Seow added. “You gave me a chance to come home back then. Today, I will do my best to help you.”Last Friday, Malaysia’s king granted Najib a “conditional pardon”, where the former leader is required to settle his fine before he can be sent to his home to complete his sentence, due to end on August 23, 2028.Najib has been serving a prison sentence at Kajang Prison in Selangor state since August 23, 2022, for misappropriating 42 million ringgit from a former unit of state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad.This story was first published by The StarFurther Reading