Fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho may have either left Macau or is seeking asylum from the Chinese territory, reported South China Morning Post (SCMP) today.
The Hong Kong daily cited a security insider in Macau saying that it "makes sense" that Low would view the gambling hub as a sanctuary from multiple attempts by governments in the region to secure his arrest and extradition.
The insider told SCMP the 30 days Low would legally be allowed to stay in the city had passed, meaning that his only option would be to make an asylum request with immigration authorities in order to stay.
“Rumours that he is, or has been, spending time in Macau have been circulating for more than a month now, and I have to say this makes sense because, while Malaysia has mutual legal assistance agreements with Hong Kong, they do not have these arrangements with Macau,” the security insider said.
“However, he cannot stay in Macau for more than 30 days, and if he was coming in and out the government would have kicked him out on his third entry to the city.
“Seven weeks is the maximum he can stay and considering the length of time suggestions that he is here have been doing the rounds, that time has passed.
“He must not be in Macau any more. Unless he has asked for asylum,” the insider added.
SCMP said Macau immigration authorities have yet to respond to their queries on the matter.
Low is on the run from Malaysian police over the 1MDB scandal, and gave the authorities the slip when they pursued him in Hong Kong.
"The latest we know he was in Macau. In fact the other day we sent our team to Hong Kong, but immediately when we arrived, he left to Macau," inspector-general of police Mohamad Fuzi Harun said on Wednesday. -Mkini
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