SINGAPORE – Singapore said its request to Hong Kong for assistance in arresting Malaysian businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low in April 2016 to facilitate investigations into the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, was declined.
Singapore refutes media reports that say it did not ask Hong Kong’s help for Jho Low to be apprehended and extradited.
“These reports are untrue,” said the Singapore Police Force in a statement today.
“We issued a warrant of arrest for Jho Low in April 2016, following investigations and charges against him for offences of alleged money-laundering and dealing with stolen property.
“In the same month, acting on information received, we sent a request to the Hong Kong Department of Justice for assistance to provisionally arrest Jho Low under the Agreement Between the Government of the Republic of Singapore and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China for the Surrender of Fugitive Offenders.
“But Singapore’s request was declined by the Hong Kong authorities,” the Singapore police said.
In October 2016, Singapore also requested for the publication of an Interpol Red Notice against Jho Low.
An Interpol Red Notice is a request by a member country to locate and provisionally arrest a person based on a valid national arrest warrant.
To date, both the warrant of arrest and Interpol Red Notice against Jho Low are in force.
“Jho Low remains a key person of interest to Singapore in the ongoing 1MDB-related investigations,” the police statement said.
It was reported that Jho Low and his family were allowed to leave Hong Kong to Macau because neither Singapore nor Malaysia formally requested his arrest. — Bernama
Apandi denies being uncooperative with Switzerland in 1MDB case
KUALA LUMPUR — Former Attorney General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali has refuted claims that he had refused to cooperate with Swiss authorities in investigations on state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
News daily The Star reported Apandi lashed out against the claims made by Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber during his recent visit to Malaysia.
“It is not correct to say that I had refused to cooperate with the Swiss AG, whom I met twice in Switzerland, over this issue,” Apandi was quoted saying by the daily.
It was reported Lauber had yesterday revealed that in 2016, Swiss authorities received confirmation that the Malaysian AG in charge at that time had no intention of cooperating with investigations.
“To say that I am or was uncooperative is obviously unfair and uncalled for; particularly when such a remark is made when I am no longer the AG of Malaysia.
“I was strictly following the provisions of Section 20(1)(l) of the Mutual Assistance In Criminal Matters Act 2002 (Act 621).
“I was just abiding by the laws that govern such cooperation in mutual legal assistance,” Apandi was quoted saying.
The report also quoted Apandi explaining the situation back then, saying foreign investigations would have hindered the impartiality of Malaysian investigations.
“At the material time, when the request was sent to Malaysia in 2016, the Malaysian police were still investigating the 1MDB case.
“I recall that in my written reply to Switzerland, as the AG then, that since the Malaysian investigation was still ongoing, to accede to the Swiss request could prejudice the criminal matter in Malaysia,” the daily quoted him saying. — Malay Mail
BERNAMA / MALAY MAIL
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