DHAKA: Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak has refused to resign after mass protests, and has called for national unity.

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets at the weekend, urging Najib to step down over allegations he took hundreds of millions of dollars of public funds, BBC reported.

Najib said such protests were "not the proper channel to voice opinions in a democratic country".

He has denied pocketing $700m (£455m) of public money.

The payments, first revealed by the Wall Street Journal, came from the 1MDB state investment fund, which Najib Razak set up on coming into office in 2009.

Najib Razak has removed several leading officials who had criticised his handling of the scandal.

Malaysia's anti-corruption agency has effectively cleared him, saying the money was from foreign donors.

BDST: 1119 HRS, AUG 31, 2015
RS

** Mahathir calls for removal of PM Najib Razak