PUTRAJAYA: The government is trying to arrest financier Low Taek Jho or Jho Low, said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today.
The prime minister said this on the back of news reports that Malaysia had issued an arrest warrant for Low, who is wanted for questioning in a graft probe involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
“(We are) trying to arrest Jho Low, but he is not in the country.
“And, we don’t have extradition right in the countries he is in,” he said after chairing a cabinet committee meeting on strengthening the government management.
Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Asked if he knows which country Low is in now, Dr Mahathir said: “He is in many countries.”
Low has been reported to be in various places around the world including Thailand, Hong Kong and Australia.
Dr Mahathir was then asked on what grounds Low would be arrested for.
The prime minister replied: “I think they are investigating his involvement in 1MDB and it is on that grounds he will be arrested.”
On Thursday, Muhyiddin said Jho Low was the main criminal behind the 1MDB corruption scandal.
Muhyiddin had also said his ministry was gathering information before it could arrest and initiate prosecution against the Penang-born businessman in connection with the corruption scandal.
Low was reported to have instructed his lawyers to make contact with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) after he was made aware they were seeking him for assistance.
Malaysian authorities were reported to have prepared warrants for two more individuals, including former Goldman Sachs Group Inc banker Roger Ng, according to a report by Bloomberg.
Bloomberg had also reported that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had issued an arrest warrant for Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil Nik Othman Arif Kamil, a director of SRC International, a former unit of 1Malaysia Development Bhd.
Bloomberg had also said MACC is preparing warrants for 1MDB's ex-chief Shahrol Halmi. -- Report by Azura Abas, Syed Umar Ariff, Irwan Shafrizan Ismail and Zanariah Abd Mutalib