Jho Low condemns Mahathir again over ‘trial by media’

The businessman linked to the Equanimity yacht insists the seizure is illegal.

PETALING JAYA: Businessman Low Taek Jho has again condemned Dr Mahathir Mohamad over the seizure of the Equanimity, a day after the prime minister visited the luxury yacht and said the government wanted to sell it off as soon as possible as its value could depreciate.

But Low, in a statement sent to FMT through his spokesman, said the handover of the yacht to Malaysian authorities had brought out in the open legal repercussions for the buyer.

He again insisted that the seizure was illegal, adding that Malaysia was “putting words into the mouth” of the US authorities by saying the yacht’s arrival in Malaysia last week was after negotiations with the Americans.

“These repeated misstatements by Malaysia are embarrassing the US, which has stressed it has no involvement in the illegal seizure of the vessel and will update the US court on Aug 17,” Low said.

“It is clear that the Mahathir regime has no interest in a fair and just legal process. His hijacking of established and long-running legal proceedings in other countries involving those governments (such as the United States) in the Equanimity matter prove this beyond any doubt.”

The US$250 billion Equanimity has been held at a cruise centre in Port Klang since its arrival in Malaysian waters on Tuesday.

It is at the centre of US investigations into state investment firm 1MDB, and linked to Low, who allegedly acquired the yacht with funds plundered from 1MDB.

Indonesian police seized the yacht at the request of the US authorities and handed it over to Malaysia after a recent visit by Mahathir to the country.

Low condemned what he called a “trial by media” by Mahathir’s administration.

“Mahathir’s trial by media has made it impossible for this matter to be fairly adjudicated, especially in his regime, which manipulates the Malaysian system as in the 1988 judicial crisis,” the statement read, referring to the sacking of senior judges during Mahathir’s first term in office.

“The allegations have ricocheted around the world for more than a year, repeated thousands of times. Thus, Mr. Low has been declared guilty by the Mahathir regime before a single piece of evidence has been produced in US courts.” -FMT