In 2018, ex-Malaysian leader Najib Razak looked like a dead man walking: He lost his job after a shock election defeat and was arrested in connection with a scandal that allegedly saw billions in stolen cash laundered through superyachts, Hollywood films and even a Pablo Picasso painting.

Now, suddenly, Najib’s fortunes are looking up. In November, he helped lead his United Malays National Organization (UMNO) to a big win in Malacca state, prompting the party — which now leads a shaky coalition after a series of upheavals in parliament — to consider calling an early national election. The goal would be to restore the dominance it enjoyed during more than five decades of uninterrupted rule prior to the party’s surprise loss in 2018.

For Najib, the stakes couldn’t be higher. In July 2020, the High Court sentenced him to 12 years in jail and gave him a 210 million ringgit ($50 million) fine after finding him guilty of all seven charges in a case involving roughly $10 million in funds deposited into his personal accounts from a former unit of the troubled state fund 1MDB. Najib has denied wrongdoing, and a court is set to decide on his appeal this week.