AN opposition MP has called on the authorities to reopen its investigations into those who were involved in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, saying former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho @ Jho Low “could not have swindled the people” on their own.
This comes after Najib’s seven charges of power abuse, criminal breach of trust and money laundering in a 1MDB related corruption case were upheld earlier this week and the Pekan MP was thrown into jail.
Low, on the other hand, the alleged mastermind of the scandal, has since been charged in absentia in the US, as well as back home in Malaysia, for alleged crimes linked to 1MDB, including money laundering.
In a statement today, Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng asked: “Now, what about those who helped Najib conceal evidence of his RM52 bil 1MDB loot?”
He urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to instruct the various enforcement agencies, including the Royal Malaysian Police Force (PDRM), Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) to re-investigate those who were in any way involved in the 1MDB scandal.
“The fact is that Najib and his main partner in crime, Jho Low, could not have swindled the people as they did without help,” Lim, who is also the DAP Kuala Lumpur secretary, said.
“A closer look at some of Najib’s Cabinet ministers, certain former and current senior Government officials, heads of enforcement agencies, lawyers, accountants as well as bankers might reveal the identity of those who had helped the duo conceal their money trail before the 2018 general election (GE14).”
Lim named two individuals in particular – an Arab prince who allegedly donated RM2.6 bil into Najib’s personal accounts and Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi bin Ali, who consistently maintained that Najib was innocent when he was the attorney-general (AG) previously.
“It is about time the MACC provides evidence that it had actually met the Arab Prince who allegedly donated RM2.6 bil into Najib’s account.
“It is also time for former AG Apandi Ali to substantiate his claim that Najib was innocent throughout the 1MDB fraud,” he added.
Final appeal rejected
On Tuesday (Aug 23), the Federal Court rejected Najib’s final appeal in his RM42 mil SRC International corruption case and upheld his RM210 mil fine and 12-year jail sentence.
SRC International is a former 1MDB subsidiary company. Najib used to be SRC’s adviser emeritus and chairperson of 1MDB’s board of advisers.
As he had already exhausted the appeals processes in the lower courts, Najib was sent to jail. He will be going in and out of the Kajang jail though as he still has several other 1MDB-related court cases to attend.
Meanwhile, journalists and Billion Dollar Whale co-authors Tom Wright and Bradley Hope have announced a new search for Jho Low, who is currently on the run and his exact whereabouts are yet to be ascertained (although he is rumoured to be in China).
“Tips are already streaming in, which we are processing. Help us get the word out to friends in China,” Hope tweeted yesterday (Aug 24), urging netizens to send tips to [email protected].
Wright, on the other hand, tweeted: “Lots of people saying we won’t find Jho Low. Why not? Photos of him already coming in. Join the search! #whereisjholow”
After Wright and his then employer the Wall Street Journal first broke the 1MDB story, Najib threatened to sue them and made his now infamous claim that the US$681 mil in his personal bank accounts was a donation from the Saudi royal family.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has also urged the authorities to renew their efforts to go after Low. – Aug 25, 2022
