No one has claimed ownership of Equanimity - Hanipa

PARLIAMENT | No one has come forward to challenge the court order permitting the sale of the luxury yacht Equanimity linked to the 1MDB scandal and controversial businessperson Low Taek Jho, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohamed Hanipa Maidin said Low, popularly known as Jho Low, should have challenged the court order if, indeed, he is the owner of the boat.

He was replying to a supplementary question from Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PAS-Rantau Panjang) who wanted to know whether the yacht belonged to Jho Low.

Hanipa said the memorandum of information regarding the sale of the yacht also clearly states that no one has objected to its sale.

He explained that with the court order, all registration matters in the Cayman Islands where the Equanimity was registered have expired and the successful bidder for the boat will have the legal right to it.

The yacht, bought with alleged 1MDB siphoned funds, was seized by the government on Aug 7 and the High Court on Oct 19 declared that it belonged to the government and 1MDB, the government investment company.

The Admiralty Court, on Oct 26, approved the terms and conditions for the bidding process from Oct 29 to Nov 28.

Hanipa, meanwhile, urged Jho Low to return to Malaysia to face charges and defend himself.

He said anyone who had information which can help bring back Jho Low should contact the police directly.

Replying to the original question, from Teh Kok Lim (Harapan-Taiping), Hanipa said the sale value of the Equanimity cannot be disclosed in accordance with the court order.

All the bids for its purchase are made directly to the court sheriff who is authorised to accept the highest bid, he said.

- Bernama