The Malaysian Insight

BUKIT Aman is after the parents of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, to assist in the probe into the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.
 
Police wish to question Larry Low Hock Peng and Evelyn Goh Gaik Ewe, both 66, on the case in which their son is implicated.

The 38-year-old Taek Jho, or Jho Low as he is popularly known, is accused of  masterminding the scheme to relieve the state-backed1MDB of billions of dollars.

In August last year, Larry, a well-known Penang businessman, and his son were charged in absentia with offences linked to the money allegedly stolen from 1MDB. 

Taek Jho has through his lawyers maintained his innocence.

His mother, Goh, is linked to the case by the allegations that she had received expensive jewellery paid for by her son with 1MDB’s money.

The couple’s last known address is 69, Tanjung Bungah Park in Penang.

In November last year, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) said it  was seeking the Thai authorities’ help in serving a warrant for a pair of diamond earrings with a matching diamond ring believed to have been bought with ill-gotten gains.

In a statement to a California Court, DoJ had said the US government was trying to locate the jewellery it had deduced to be in Thailand where the owner was.

The police are also looking for two others – Singaporean Shabnam Naraindas Daswani, also known as Natasha Mirpuri,and Malaysian Tan Kim Loong.

The 54-year-old Mirpuri, according to whistleblower site Sarawak Report, is a Singapore-based fashion designer whose key client was Rosmah Mansor, wife of former prime minister Najib Razak.

Sarawak Report describes the designer as Rosmah’s “shopping guru”, who had been “involved in many of Rosmah’s high value fashion and jewellery acquisitions” and that it was Mirpuri who “very often officially pays for them”.

The portal alleges that because she was the contact point for traders seeking payments, Mirpuri received injections of cash in her accounts from Taek Jho.

Mirpuri’s last known address is 19, Parkstone Road in Singapore.

Meanwhile, 41-year-old Tan, better known as Eric, is a familiar name in the 1MDB saga. 

The man is said to be a family friend of the Lows and Taek Jho’s front for his banking transactions, making him a key figure in the money trail of 1MDB and its former subsidiary SRC International Sdn Bhd.

Tan was the stated owner of several accounts with RBS Coutts and Falcon Bank into which 1MDB funds were diverted.

He has already been on the wanted list for some time, including in Singapore since May 2016, along with buddy Taek Jho, following investigations of 1MDB-related fund flows through the financial system in the republic. 

When the duo could not be found in Singapore, Interpol was contacted for help and subsequently, red notices were issued for their arrest in October 2016.

“The police are seeking the cooperation of anyone who knows or has information on these individuals,” Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun said in a statement today.

Those with information can contact Superintendent Foo Wei Min at 03-2610 1402, Deputy Superintendent Albany Hamzah at 019-241 2826, or the nearest police station. – January 25, 2019.