Mahathir to Jho Low: If you want the Equanimity, come and claim it

Fugitive financier Jho Low can come and claim the superyacht Equanimity in Malaysia if he believes he is the rightful owner, said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"(The) only person who wants to take legal action is Low. For him to take legal action, he can come and prove to us that it (the yacht) belongs to him.

"It (the yacht) is very costly, so we want to know where he got the money (to buy it), and when we trace the money, eventually we will find that the money is from 1MDB," Mahathir said.

The premier was speaking to reporters at the Boustead Cruise Centre today after having toured the luxury vessel himself, which was being docked there.

He claimed that the US Department of Justice (DOJ) had assured the new government that the yacht belongs to Low and that it was paid for with "stolen money" from 1MDB.

"They (DOJ) said if we want to keep it, we are entitled to it because this is ours, bought with stolen Malaysian money, and when we eventually sell this boat, we are entitled to the proceeds.

"But Low claims that it belongs to him. Well, he can come and claim it," he said.

Earlier today, Mahathir had boarded the Equanimity along with several others such as Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng and Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu, after they obtained the court's permission yesterday.

It was reported that the US Department of Justice (DOJ) had filed a civil forfeiture suit on the US$250 million vessel last year, claiming that the Equanimity was bought using the proceeds of misappropriated 1MDB funds that had been laundered through the US financial system, and that Low owns the vessel through a series of intermediaries including Equanimity Ltd.

Lawyers acting on behalf of Low (picture, above), whose real name is Low Taek Jho, objected to the hand over of the yacht to Malaysia by Indonesian authorities, saying that the transfer violated court rulings in both Indonesia and the US. 

However, Mahathir today said the US and Indonesia worked with Malaysia to return the boat here.

"If it sailed out to sea, we have a right to take over the boat.

"So the Americans and the Indonesians cooperated with us so that we can take over the boat which belongs to us," he said.

'Perhaps Bill Gates would buy it'

He added that while there was no timeframe for Low to claim the yacht, the government would like to sell it off as soon as possible.

This was as its maintenance cost was very high, up to RM2 million a month while docked in Port Klang, according to the premier.

"You have to spend a lot of money to keep the boat in ship shape.

"It is not really a yacht, it is a ship, a huge ship," Mahathir said. 

When asked whether anyone has expressed interest in buying the ship, he said there have been some "rumours".

"We have some idea that some people are interested but they must be very rich.

"Maybe Arabs or Bill Gates might offer (to buy), because it is very expensive, even to maintain," he said.

"I have also offered to buy, at my price of course, but they said no, so we have to invite buyers worldwide," he quipped.

The Equanimity was first seized by Indonesian authorities on Feb 28.

Following the legal tussle between the US and Equanimity (Cayman) Ltd, Indonesia had the yacht brought to the Batam Free Trade Zone where it was handed over to Malaysian authorities on Aug 6.

The Equanimity arrived in Port Klang the following day. -Mkini