Mahathir: US aware of Equanimity takeover but didn't object

The US government did not protest despite being notified beforehand about Malaysia’s intentions to take custody of the superyacht Equanimity, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said this when asked to comment on the US Department of Justice’s (DOJ) claims that the US government was not involved in transferring the yacht's custody to Malaysia.

“As far as we know, they have not protested (against) our taking over the boat. We told (them) that before,” he told Malaysiakini when met in Hangzhou, China, where he was visiting the headquarters of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.

Asked about the financier Low Taek Jho’s accusations that he was lying about US involvement in the transfer, Mahathir said, “I don’t comment about Jho Low.”

This morning, the DOJ had made a court filing at the Central California District Court claiming that it had played no part in Indonesia’s move to transfer custody of the yacht to Malaysia on Aug 6.

Instead, it said it had been making preparations to take custody of the vessel from Indonesian authorities for the purpose of bringing it to the US to be sold.

The preparations included refuelling the vessel and obtaining the necessary papers for the trip, which entailed obtaining visas for the crew members, paying outstanding wages for the previous crew, and paying for a temporary dock in Guam.

However, the US never took control of the yacht from Indonesian authorities. Instead, it was brought to Batam Island and handed to Malaysian authorities on Aug 6 instead.

Contradictory claims

The DOJ’s latest filing appeared to contradict assertions by various Malaysian officials, including Mahathir, that the US was involved in the transfer.

Low (photo) has repeatedly accused Malaysian and Indonesian authorities of usurping the authority of US and Indonesian courts.

This is because an Indonesian court had ordered police in April to release the vessel, which had been seized by Indonesian authorities two months earlier, to its registered owner Equanimity (Cayman) Ltd.

Equanimity (Cayman) Ltd is believed to be an intermediary acting for Low.

Meanwhile, the California Central District Court had ordered the DOJ in May to bring the vessel to the US to facilitate an interlocutory sale of the vessel.

The order is still valid today despite an appeal pending against it in the US.

With the latest DOJ court filing, Low had said this morning that it shows that Mahathir and attorney-general Tommy Thomas had been lying about US' involvement in the transfer of the yacht's custody to Malaysia.

-Mkini