Malaysian opposition lawmaker jailed for exposing 1MDB audit

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — A prominent Malaysian opposition lawmaker with a reputation as a whistleblower was sentenced to 18 months in jail on Monday for releasing one page of a classified document on a controversial state investment fund.

A Malaysian rights group called the sentence a "dangerous chill on free speech" that could lead to a more repressive and unaccountable government.

Rafizi Ramli, vice president of the People's Justice Party, was found guilty by the court of violating the Official Secrets Act by possessing and disclosing content of a government audit report on the indebted 1MDB fund, founded by Prime Minister Najib Razak.

"The conviction and sentence will create a dangerous chill on free speech and result in a more repressive, opaque and unaccountable government," Lawyers for Liberty said in a statement.

New York-based Human Rights Watch said Rafizi's conviction under the Official Secrets Act was unprecedented and targeted to "intimidate whistleblowers into silence over the 1MDB corruption scandal."