A LEAF FROM HIS 'FRIEND' ROSMAH? Jho Low's ostentatious & over-showy ways land him in trouble

The truth behind the 1Malaysia Development Board (1MDB) and its murky dealings came to light courtesy of Taek Jho Low because his jet-set lifestyle made headlines around the world for its extravagance and ostentatiousness.

Sarawak Report editor and founder Clare Rewcastle Brown said the international press is zooming in on 1MDB dealings due to Jho Low making “a spectacle of himself” with his flamboyant partying.

Whistleblower website Sarawak Report has last Sunday published a series of stinging exposes regarding 1MDB and Jho Low, jointly with Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper.

Rewcastle Brown told Malaysiakini Jho Low's blatant display of wealth has gotten the Western media interested in him and they have focused on his links with the beleaguered 1MDB - the state investment arm which is the brainchild of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

"Jho Low has made a spectacle of his wealth and now 1MDB is in a dangerous position of debt," Rewcastle Brown said, alluding to the ‘connect the dots’ style of investigative reporting.

"Both are linked to the prime minister of Malaysia and for this reason the international press are becoming increasingly interested," she said, adding there were concerns there has been abuse of 1MDB funds, funds which were originally meant for development, which is much needed in Malaysia, especially in areas such as Sarawak.

She lamented that those associated with 1MDB had been displaying "extreme wealth".

The rich and famous

Rewcastle Brown, who is sister-in-law to former British premier Gordon Brown, also said that despite growing international attention on Jho Low and his source of wealth, 1MDB was not being “careful” in their ties with the young and flashy playboy.

Jho Low has hit global headlines for, among others, frolicking with the rich and famous, including Hilton hotel chain heiress and socialite Paris Hilton, at the world’s top party spots.

Though he has been mentioned as a third-generation monied offspring, Rewcastle Brown pointed out that Jho Low himself has admitted that most of the wealth he was spending belonged to rich friends he met in college.

"He explained his family was reasonably well off, but not in the sort of league that matched his level of spending,” she said.

"He explained that in this context, he was acting as a sort of concierge for his pals, fixing their fun and holding their purses."

Jho Low also has a reportedly close friendship with Najib's stepson, Riza Aziz.

Riza set up Red Granite Pictures in 2011 and two years later, the company produced the Leonardo di Caprio-starring ‘Wolf of Wall Street’.

Jho Low received a ‘Special Thanks’ mention in the final credits of the film.

Next - Low and Taib’s bank

J Low

Rewcastle Brown said Sarawak Report will next be looking into Jho Low's personal and financial connections with controversial Sarawak governor and former chief minister Taib Mahmud (left in photo).

The 1MDB expose over the weekend claimed that part of the money obtained from a 1MDB-PetroSaudi joint venture was allegedly diverted and used by Jho Low to buy Taib's floundering UBG Bank in 2010.

Rewcastle Brown disclosed that Jho Low was sitting on the board of UBG before he was ‘hooked up’ to advise 1MDB.

At the time of this article, both Jho Low's representatives and the Prime Minister's Office have failed to respond to the serious allegations made by Sarawak Report. - M'kini