JHO LOW – NOW NAJIB & UMNO’S ‘DEVIL INCARNATE’: WITH CHILDLIKE EXPLANATIONS, UMNO WARLORDS RUSH TO HELP NAJIB WIPE HIMSELF CLEAN ON JHO LOW ‘TOILET PAPER’: ‘WE WARNED HIM NOT TO TRUST JHO – BUT HE WOULDN’T LISTEN’

NAJIB Razak has finally thrown Low Taek Jho under the bus by echoing investigators’ allegations that the Penang businessman defrauded the Malaysian government and masterminded the scheme to cheat 1Malaysia Development Bhd of billions of dollars.

Najib’s remarks in an interview with Sinar Harian prompted many to say the former prime minister was finally dumping Jho Low, as the fugitive financier is popularly known.

Some felt that Najib was desperate and looking for a scapegoat after being slapped with numerous charges related to the 1MDB scandal.

“Finally cutting off the umbilical cord. Gloves are off, maybe this is where Jho Low should start to sing like a canary,” wrote a reader in the comments section of the report, ‘Jho Low cheated me, says Najib’ on The Malaysian Insight.

Readers also questioned why it took Najib all these years to accuse Low of cheating the country, with some asking why the former prime minister had not lodged any police reports against the businessman.

Some wondered how it was possible for Najib, who was prime minister, finance minister and 1MDB advisory board chairman, to have been so easily duped by Low.

They recalled that prior to the 14th general election, Najib had painted Low in a positive light.

Najib’s first public quote on Low was in 2015, around the time the opposition embarked on a campaign to expose the 1MDB scandal, with particular emphasis on Low’s role in the affair.

Najib never mentioned Low’s name again in public – until this year, after his fall from power in May.

What Najib said then:

“Mr Low Taek Jho has never worked for 1MDB and all decisions and dealings of 1MDB was done by the management and board of directors.”
(Najib’s written reply in to PKR Wangsa Maju MP Dr Tan Kee Kwong in Parliament, 2015)

Former prime minister Najib Razak is painting his old associate, Low Taek Jho, as the villain in the 1MDB saga. – EPA pic, November 22, 2018.

What Najib says now: 

*I didn’t give him instructions, but he volunteered to do certain things, which he thought would help 1MDB.”
(The Guardian, June 21, 2018.)

“Low Taek Jho had ‘strategic relationships that benefited Malaysia.’”
(The Coverage, June 29, 2018)

“He had somehow developed these relationships which could be of value to Malaysia. That was in that context. What he did with them and all that, that’s beyond my knowledge.”
(The Edge Financial Daily, June 29, 2018)

“… don’t just stop at Jho Low. Get others who are involved as well because there are other international figures who probably are involved. They must also be investigated. We want to know where the money flowed to. And who really benefited from the whole 1MDB issue. I would like to know, too.”
(Al Jazeera interview, October 27, 2018)

I warned Najib about Jho Low, says Tajuddin

FORMER prime minister Najib Razak had been warned two years ago that fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho had stolen funds from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Umno Supreme Council member Tajuddin Rahman said he personally told Najib about the discrepancies and Low, who also known as Jho Low, and urged the then prime minister to take action.

“I felt from the past two years… what happened with 1MDB was a major cheating done by Jho Low and the 1MDB board.

“I, as a party leader and supreme council member, felt responsible to tell Najib. I urged him to take action against the 1MDB management,” he told reporters when met in Parliament today.

The Pasir Salak MP said he pieced the scandal together from the explanation given by former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy and news reports.

However, Tajuddin said Najib did nothing despite the warning.

“He (Najib) kept quiet. It was my duty as a party man to voice my concerns, give opinions, even, reprimand. I was very serious. I said if you wait people will lose trust,” he said.

Tajuddin also said Umno as a whole did not know about the details of the 1MDB scandal but believed in Najib as he was their leader.

“The members do not know anything. You ask the division leaders, branch leaders and members, they do not know anything about this,” he said.

The party now wants Jho Low to come back and face trial as the scandal has tainted Umno’s image.

“We will have to tackle this. First thing, is to take action on those responsible. We not only want Jho Low to come back but we must go after him.

“The government, the authorities must do the best they can to track him down and bring him back.

“If Hishammuddin says he can do it, let him do it,” Tajuddin said referring to former defence minister Hishamuddin Hussein who has offered to help try and bring the fugitive Jho Low back to face justice.

Najib earlier today said he was cheated by Jho Low, who is accused of masterminding the 1MDB scandal.

The former Umno president said evidence now showed that money had been siphoned from the government investment fund, which was supposed to raise money for development projects in Malaysia.

THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT