The Malaysian Insight

HONG KONG had rejected Singapore’s request in 2016 to arrest Low Taek Jho, as the Malaysian businessman had obtained a court ruling for protection against any extradition, sources confirmed today.

Singapore today confirmed that it had asked Hong Kong authorities to arrest Low, popularly known as Jho Low, for alleged money laundering and dealing with stolen property, but it was not acted on, refuting media reports that it had not asked for the Malaysian financier to be apprehended.

The request for assistance to provisionally arrest Low – a central figure in a global multibillion-dollar probe related to 1Malaysia Development Bhd – was sent to the Hong Kong Department of Justice in April 2016, said Singapore police today, in response to Bloomberg News queries.

Malaysian police are now on a hunt for Low, said to be the “best witness” in the probe into the 1MDB scandal that has engulfed former prime minister Najib Razak and led to his government’s historic defeat in the general election in May.

“In April 2016, Low applied for protection under HK law against mutual legal assistance and extradition related to 1MDB matters. It was subsequently granted by HK courts,” Hong Kong sources told The Malaysian Insight.

Police said Low is on the run after skipping Hong Kong and Macau, although Macau police have disputed Malaysia’s contention that he was in the casino hub recently.

The sources also said the Hong Kong judgment was kept under wraps due to security reasons.

“There were severe security risks against Low, given that numerous jurisdictions were seeking him due to his knowledge about national security issues, both in Malaysia and the Middle East,” said a source, without elaborating.

Low has been cited by Najib as an associate with close ties with Middle Eastern princes and businessmen that led to the 1MDB-PetroSaudi venture that has gone into massive debt, which Swiss authorities say has run to some US$7 billion (RM28 billion).

It is not known where Low is now, although Malaysian police believe that he could be in China. Both Malaysian and Singapore police have reached out to various counterparts, seeking the businessman’s arrest and extradition.

Low was in Hong Kong and Macau recently, according to various media reports.

The South China Morning Post last week reported that Low was free to recently leave Hong Kong for Macau because neither Malaysia nor Singapore had formally requested his arrest.

He is at the heart of the 1MDB scandal that allegedly saw US$4.5 billion misappropriated from the fund.

Low last month had said he would help in the probe, and instructed his lawyers to make contact with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission after being made aware that he was being sought to render assistance.

He has previously denied wrongdoing. Malaysia has said it has enough evidence on Low’s crimes. – July 11, 2018.