MALAYSIAN Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid recently expressed his regret that he was unable to bring fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, back to Malaysia.
This is despite him flying to the country where Low was hiding in with plans to discuss efforts of bringing him back with the authorities.
Malaysian authorities had received information that Low was free to conduct business and move about in the country where he was hiding freely.
According to Abdul Hamid, he failed not for the lack of effort, but was hindered by certain parties who are protecting Low, ensuring that he will not be charged in court.
The big question here is: what does this mean for Malaysians?
With the latest dead end, does this mean that the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and Putrajaya have exhausted all means of bringing Low to justice and are therefore giving up on their efforts?
The Government has uncovered Low’s assets in various countries and have begun seizing offices and condominiums owned by Low in Kuala Lumpur, but is this the best that they can do?
What other steps are the Government taking to bring the alleged 1MDB mastermind home?
Abdul Hamid had also previously urged Low to come out of hiding and return to Malaysia and offer his testimony about the 1MDB financial scandal to the public prosecutor, but let’s face it: it is simply not enough.
In fact, the idea of the IGP telling Low to ‘please come back’ after the latter had siphoned billions of ringgit from 1MDB sounds almost ridiculous.
According to Al Jazeera’s report dated Nov 16, 2020, Low, who has purportedly been living in a house owned by a senior member of the Chinese Communist Party in Macau since February 2018, has still been able to travel around the world with relative ease due to ‘high-level government assistance’. However, the report did not elaborate on which government was aiding Low.
Al Jazeera further reported Low denying any wrongdoing in the 1MDB financial scandal, pinning everything on former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who was also finance minister at that time.
He also claimed the Abu Dhabi government to be complicit in the abuse of the Malaysian sovereign fund.
But whether Jho Low is guilty or not, the Malaysian Government must not give up on the investigation, and must continue finding viable means of extraditing the fugitive.
Malaysia needs to find closure, but until Jho Low is on his way home to answer for his crimes, we cannot rest. – March 19, 2021
Photo credit: Malaysia World News
