New era in Malaysia: Key changes since May 9 election

Malaysia's watershed May 9 election has unleashed a series of major political and policy changes. Here's our one-stop source for the all the key developments:

*May 24: Najib undergoes a second round of questioning by Malaysia's anti-graft agency in connection with the 1MDB probe

Related story:  Najib tells new Malaysian leaders to serve country, people first rather than slandering, blaming him

In a sharply-worded Facebook post, former prime minister Najib Razak cautioned Malaysia's new leaders against "alarming and confusing statements", saying "words spoken while in such positions of power result in actual losses to the country and the people".

* May 23:  Malaysian Cabinet ministers to take 10% pay cut; decision on KL-Singapore HSR expected “very soon”, Mahathir says after chairing his first Cabinet meeting.

 

* May 23:  1MDB can't repay debts; CEO 'utterly dishonest and untrustworthy': Malaysian Finance Minister. "It is completely unbelievable that a highly paid and 'experienced' investment banker can be so irresponsibly clueless as to not know whether RM9.8 billion worth of investments are even real," Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said, contrasting it with 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda's tour to "explain" 1MDB on behalf of Barisan Nasional before the polls.

* May 22: Former PM Najib questioned by anti-graft watchdog for about 5 hours

Related story: 'I was sent a bullet' for probing 1MDB, says Malaysia's new anti-graft chief  

 

* May 22: Full review of mega projects such as KL-Singapore HSR, says M'sia's new economic affairs minister

New economic affairs minister Azmin Ali, who was sworn-in on May 21 as part of Dr Mahathir's 14-member Cabinet, hinted that some mega projects could be axed as part of the new government's austerity drive.

* May 21: Malaysia's debt at alarming level of S$337 billion, says Dr Mahathir 

Related story:  Foreigners pull most cash from Malaysian stocks since 2013

* May 19: In 'warm, fruitful' meetings, PM Lee re-establishes links with Dr Mahathir and Anwar 

 

* May 19: You should have spoken up earlier, embattled Najib tells critics

In his first media interview since BN lost the elections on May 9, Mr Najib said his critics within the BN should have spoken up earlier if they thought there was a problem with his leadership of the coalition and government.

* May 17: Police raid 6 premises linked to Najib; seize cash, valuables, and nearly 300 designer handbags

* May 16: Malaysia says 6% GST rate will be reduced to zero from June 1

 

* May 16: Anwar walks free, says will not join Cabinet any time soon

Mr Anwar Ibrahim, who was serving a second prison sentence for sodomy, walked out of the Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital in Kuala Lumpur a free man after receiving a royal pardon from the king. He told the media he was in no hurry to take over from Dr Mahathir.

* May 12: Najib barred from leaving country; steps down from top BN and Umno posts

New prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said he gave orders to bar his predecessor Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor from leaving the country. Hours later, Mr Najib stepped down from his top posts in BN and its lynchpin party, the United Malays National Organisation (Umno).

* May 10: Dr Mahathir sworn in as Malaysia's seventh prime minister

* May 9: BN out, as opposition pulls off shock Malaysian GE win  

In a stunning upset, Malaysians dumped the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition out of power in favour of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition led by former premier Mahathir Mohamad, 92.