The Malaysian Insight

POLICE will only arrest financier Low Taek Jho if the court orders it, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said today.

“Never mind, we’ll just wait for the court’s decision,” Khalid told reporters when asked about a judicial review filed by Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali to compel him to arrest Low, who is linked to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.

Low is the alleged central figure in the scandal, which is the subject of multiple investigations in several countries, including the United States, Singapore and Switzerland.

He and others allegedly acquired more than US$1 billion of assets in real estate, art, jewellery, film rights and others using funds misappropriated from 1MDB.

Also known as Jho Low, he is an associate of Prime Minister Najib Razak and had helped in the setting up of 1MDB.

The US Department of Justice, which had earlier filed civil forfeiture suits to reclaim the assets, last week filed in court to suspend those suits so that it could proceed with a criminal investigation.

Azmin two weeks ago served a demand on Khalid to arrest Low, and on Monday filed the judicial review when the IGP failed to respond.

The legal action is to force the IGP to carry out his duties and responsibilities as stated in the Police Act, including seeking the help of Interpol in the arrest and extradition of Low. – August 16, 2017.