Malaysia likely aware of Jho Low’s whereabouts

Protesters hold portraits of Jho Low illustrated as a pirate during a protest in Kuala Lumpur

Malaysian authorities may know the whereabouts of the wanted businessman Low Taek Jhow, also known as Jho Low, the country’s former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin revealed on Monday.

“The government knows his whereabouts. Last time, he was in Macau. The government knows where he is,” said Daim, as cited in Malaysian reports.

Authorities believed that Low left Macau for an unknown destination, escaping arrest in Hong Kong.

The fugitive’s Malaysian passport has already been revoked, although he has denied any wrongdoing.

Wanted for his role in the multi-billion-dollar scandal at Malaysian state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MBD), the fugitive said through his lawyers last week that he is not expecting to get a fair hearing anywhere, thus he will not present himself to any country where his guilt has been predetermined.

Malaysia has applied for an Interpol red notice to seek assistance from the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, India, Myanmar, China and Hong Kong to detain Low.

The top adviser also denied that he raised the matter of the fugitive’s whereabouts when he visited China last month to meet with the country’s top officials.

“When I went to China, I did not negotiate for Jho Low’s whereabouts,” he said, declining to comment further on the matter.

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal cited sources saying Low had been living freely in China despite the Interpol red notice.

In regards to his luxury yacht that was allegedly bought with stolen funds and which has since been transferred to Malaysia, the government is expecting to complete the yacht’s sale in a few months.