Trump's invitation to Najib will add to the Russian collusion stories, and to the story that Najib has paid off Trump,and to the stories about the murder of Mongolain woman Altantuya Shaariibuu
The Trump-Najib meeting will add to speculation that Donald Trump colluded with the Russians to get himself elected.
That any person under investigation by the FBI and the DOJ for what has been described as the biggest case of money laundering ever would be invited anywhere near the White House would raise concerns within any government , but here there is a further ,larger complication.
Malaysia has had good relations with Russia going back to at least the early 70s, and Najib has only enhanced that relationship.
The fact that Putin has been able to count on Najib to frustrate Australian and Dutch attempts to properly prosecute the downing of Malaysia's MH 17 ought to have made that obvious to even to the casual observer.
That Najib would then be invited to the White House despite being under investigation by the FBI and DOJ ,while Trump and his associates are under investigation by the FBI and others for colluding with the Russians to have himself elected as president raises all sorts of questions, which one would assume Trump would rather they never be raised.
And then there is the further complication of Najib and close associates being investigated by French prosecutors for bribery in connection to the award of submarines to France's DCNS (since renamed Naval Group).That matter has been linked to the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu .
Ms Shaariibuu was murdered in Kuala Lumpur while demanding her share of commissions on contracts for the purchase or Russian MIGs.
Not surprising then that there is strong speculation that Trump has been a beneficiary of Najib's stolen billions. END
WASHINGTON/KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump plans to meet Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is embroiled in a corruption scandal at home, on Sept. 12 at the White House, officials from both countries confirmed on Thursday.
The U.S. Justice Department has been conducting a criminal probe of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a fund founded by Najib, which is facing money-laundering probes in at least six countries, including the United States, Switzerland and Singapore.
In civil lawsuits, the Justice Department has sought to seize a total of about $1.7 billion in assets it says were bought with misappropriated 1MDB funds.
Malaysia's foreign ministry said in a statement that Najib will undertake the visit following an invitation from Trump.
"The two leaders are expected to discuss areas of mutually beneficial cooperation, including national security, the global fight against terrorism and extremism, and trade and investment that will benefit our nations and our peoples," the foreign ministry said in the statement.
The United States sees Najib as a key partner in its fight against radical Islamists.
But that image has been damaged recently after Najib was linked to the 1MDB scandal, and his party overtly supported right-wing groups for political gains ahead of the polls that must be held by mid-2018.
Trump looks forward to "discussing ways to strengthen and broaden our bilateral relationship and expand regional cooperation with one of America’s closest partners in Southeast Asia," said a White House statement announcing Najib's Sept. 12 visit.
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The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the plan for a meeting, said Najib would likely use the White House visit to try to play down the possibility of further investigations into 1MDB.
Relations between Malaysia and the United Stated soured last year after the Justice Department filed lawsuits in connection with the 1MDB scandal and Najib sought to strengthen ties with China.
U.S. relations with Malaysia, which the United States sees as an important partner in standing up to China’s extensive territorial claims in East Asia, had improved under former President Barack Obama, who in 2014 became the first U.S. president to visit the country in 50 years.
Najib was a key ally in Obama's strategic pivot to Asia, and was part of the collapsed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) pact.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is also expected to visit Malaysia in the coming months, local media reports said, although this has not been officially confirmed.
Reporting By Mark Hosenball, Steve Holland, David Brunnstrom and Praveen Menon; Editing by Dan Grebler
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