MACC believes Jho Low hiding in Macau

 

MACC reportedly said the anti-graft body “believes” Malaysian-born fugitive financier Low Taek Jho is hiding in Macau.

According to a report by Al Jazeera today, MACC was quoted in a written response as saying that this was confirmed by several individuals who have seen Low in Macau.

“MACC believes the individuals wanted for 1MDB, especially Jho Low, are hiding in Macau,” the Doha-based news network said.

The report added that the revelation comes just weeks after the arrest of a relatively unknown 1MDB suspect Kee Kok Thiam.

On May 3, Kee, who is understood to be Low’s alleged aide, was arrested when he arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Citing a Malaysian police source, Al Jazeera reported that Kee was deported from Macau for overstaying his visa.

Following an interview with MACC officers, Kee was released and the graft busters said no charges had been laid against him “at this time”.

Putrajaya, MACC said, did not receive any notification from Macau regarding Kee’s repatriation but was quoted as saying that it “rather knew Kee was being deported from Macau based on intelligence networking”.

“The investigation paper is focused on the assets belonging to Kee Kok Thiam in Singapore and has been completed and submitted to the attorney general’s office for the next course of action,” an official was reported as saying.

Al Jazeera added that MACC said it had been gathering intelligence since the government issued a travel ban against 1MDB suspects, including Kee. The MACC said this took place shortly after the 2018 election.

Then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak and Umno suffered a stunning loss and the Malay nationalist party was swept from power after over 60 years of uninterrupted rule.

Najib is currently serving a 12-year jail sentence in relation to a corruption case involving RM42 million of funds from SRC International, which used to be a subsidiary of 1MDB. - Mkini