JHO LOW GETS A DOSE OF HIS OWN MEDICINE: UPSET 1MDB MASTERMIND RAILS AGAINST MAHATHIR FOR USING ‘POLITICAL PRESSURE’ TO SEIZE HIS PRIVATE JET – YET WITHOUT ‘POLITICAL PRESSURE’ DURING THE NAJIB HEYDAYS, COULD JHO STILL BE ROAMING FREE SOMEWHERE IN CHINA?

MALAYSIA’s desire for a private jet belonging to Low Taek Jho has raised the ire of the wanted businessman, who said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad will use political pressure to seize his assets without showing proof.

Dr Mahathir said today the Bombardier Global 5000 jet, said to be worth US$35 million (RM143 million), will be brought back from Singapore to Malaysia once it is airworthy.

“If it is anything like his illegal seizure of the Equanimity, Dr Mahathir will ignore ongoing legal processes, conduct a trial by media and public event, use political pressure, and illegally declare ownership of the asset before a single piece of evidence is presented,”   according to a statement from Low’s lawyers.

“This is the rule of law in a regime run by Dr Mahathir, who only cares about his absolute political rule, where he rigs and manipulates the Malaysian system evidenced in the 1988 judicial crisis.

“It is why there can be no justice in this jurisdiction while he rules, where guilt has already been assigned and the scapegoats already identified,” added the lawyers, repeating their statement after the yacht was seized last week.

Malaysia seized Low’s RM1 billion superyacht Equanimity after it was impounded by authorities in Indonesia. The yacht is now moored in Port Klang and is to be auctioned off despite a dispute over its ownership.

The United States Department of Justice (DoJ) filed suits to seize the yacht two years ago, claiming it was part of the loot from funds siphoned from the debt-laden 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

The DoJ tried to retrieve the yacht earlier but Indonesian courts had said it had nothing to do with 1MDB. The US authorities have asked the court for time to determine the effect of Malaysia’s action to seize the yacht.

Dr Mahathir did not commit to a time-frame for the return of the aircraft, which is said to be bought from funds embezzled from 1MDB.

“Jho Low’s jet will be brought here (Malaysia) as soon as we can make it fly.

“It has been grounded for a long time, and planes that do not fly very often need to be serviced and checked,” he said tonight, referring to the businessman by his popular moniker.

THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT