It is reported that Paul Stadlen, former PR guru to Najib Razak, has invested money, perhaps amounting to more than a million pounds, in residential property in London. Further it seems that he has been trying to evict tenants from these properties in order to obtain the sites for multi million-pound development.

How come then, that such a property developing tycoon was, until recently, a mouthpiece for criminal ex-Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak? And what was he doing working as a mouthpiece for a criminal boss when he, apparently owned very valuable property in London?

And even more to the point, where is he now when the Malaysian criminal investigation authorities are hunting him? Still in London where Najib’s London friends on the political scene are, or were, so influential. With business premises in the Commonwealth’s headquarters building?

Not the least remarkable aspect of the 1MDB affair was the devoted support that criminal ex-PM Najib enjoyed in London. Only at the very last minute, no doubt influenced by reports of their intelligence authorities, did the UK Administration move to distance themselves from the criminally connected Najib who had had such influential links and friends in the ruling party in London.

Since he was booted out by his own voters there has been a remarkable silence in London about the whole 1MDB affair. A silence which remains unbroken despite the actions of the US authorities in starting prosecutions. And not just a political silence. Despite formal police reporting about the criminal activities of an UK ex-police officer on behalf of the UK company PetroSaudi that investigation appears stalled, By what? Simple incompetence or political interference?

What it all comes down to is that the very important commercial interests of British firms in Malaysia are well out in front of any attempt to get at the truth or even to acknowledge past errors of judgment. Any comment My Lord?