Najib still considered Jho Low 'legitimate' after 1MDB scandal exposed: KJ

 

Khairy Jamaluddin has cast doubt on his former boss Najib Abdul Razak’s claims that he was duped by fugitive financier Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) in the 1MDB scandal.

He said he had once told Najib to take action against Low, but the then-premier refused to do so.

“I met him, and I told Najib, ‘Sir’ - that is exactly what I said - ‘you have to throw Jho Low under the bus if he is responsible.

“That (my advice) opened up room for him to take action, as he is claiming now that he was duped.

“(But) he looked at me and said, ‘no, Jho Low is a legitimate businessperson’,” Khairy said in an episode of his “Keluar Sekejap” podcast yesterday.

He was responding to the apology the former prime minister made last week, alleging that he was a hapless victim in a scam run by Low.

Khairy said his conversation with Najib took place sometime after Muhyiddin Yassin was sacked as deputy prime minister - indicating that it was at the height of the 1MDB scandal.

Following that, he said Najib angrily told the cabinet to no longer discuss the 1MDB issue.

Najib not wanting to face consequences

Khairy pondered whether Najib had a mental block then and whether he had - as posited by co-host Shahril Hamdan Sufian as a possibility - learned of Low’s scheme but dared not face the consequences of undoing the scam.

Fugitive businessperson Jho Low (left)

However, the former Umno Youth chief also argued that Najib’s actions in sacking Muhyiddin, former Umno vice-president Shafie Apdal, attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail, and MACC chief Abu Kassim Mohamed as highlighted by Tony Pua - were “not consistent with someone who has been duped”.

Najib is on trial for abuse of power and money laundering involving RM2.27 billion in relation to 1MDB.

Yesterday, the High Court ordered Najib to enter his defence.

In his ruling, judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah pointed out that under all circumstances, Najib was “wilfully blind” for not being willing to enquire into the source of the billions of ringgit that went into his bank account. - Mkini