Malaysia PM under scrutiny over wealth

Malaysia's premier is under mounting scrutiny for cracking down on opponents, troubles in a strategic development fund and questions over his family assets, with even ruling-party conservatives questioning his leadership.

Prime Minister Najib Razak, 61, took the helm of the multi-ethnic country's long-ruling regime in 2009, promising to soothe racial tensions and bolster democracy.

But he is under fire from progressives for abandoning such pledges and from ruling-party hardliners over 1MDB -- a development vehicle he launched that is believed to be in a precarious state.

"People are beginning to doubt whether he is the sort of leader who can address Malaysia's problems," said Wan Saiful Wan Jan, head of Malaysian think-tank IDEAS.

Malaysia also drew international criticism after opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was jailed for five years last week on a sodomy conviction widely considered politically motivated, the latest in a crackdown on Najib's opponents.