Terengganu sultanah sues Sarawak Report editor

PETALING JAYA: The Sultanah of Terengganu is filing a suit against Clare Rewcastle-Brown over the Sarawak Report editor’s book on the 1MDB scandal.

A statement from her lawyer said the suit by Sultanah Nur Zahirah was over allegations in the book “The Sarawak Report: The Inside Story of the 1MDB Expose”.

“The suit involved allegations of her Royal Highness Sultanah Nur Zahirah’s conspiracy with Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) and her involvement in government administration in the 1MDB affair,” said the statement.

The sultanah had earlier denied being involved in any government administrative affairs, including in the establishment of the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA), which was the precursor to 1MDB.

In her book, Rewcastle-Brown said Jho Low was “friendly” with Sultanah Nur Zahirah, who is the wife of Terengganu ruler Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin.

She said that the sultanah’s tacit approval was needed to set up the fund, adding that Jho Low had “later cited her support as having been crucial to his obtaining the advisory position”.

On Sept 14, the Terengganu Royal Council of Regency said the claim was irresponsible and urged Rewcastle-Brown to apologise.

But Rewcastle-Brown later told FMT that the sultanah had misunderstood what was written.

“What I said was that Jho boasted of his social connections including her as having given him an entree to her husband who was involved in TIA.

“He boasted the social connections led to him being hired as adviser. It is a fairly tangential issue,” she said.

Her book, launched on Sept 8, tells the story of the investigation into the 1MDB scandal.

FMT has contacted Rewcastle-Brown for a response. -FMT