Macao refutes Malaysia’s claim Jho Low is hiding in territory

SINGAPORE, Jul 31, 2020, Bloomberg. Macau has disputed Malaysian authorities’ claim that Low Taek Jho is hiding in the territory as the authorities continue with efforts to locate and bring the fugitive financier home to face justice for his role in the troubled state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), The Straits Times reported.

The “unilateral” disclosure of information from the Malaysian police that Low is in Macau is “not in line with facts and the rules and practices of international police cooperation”, according to a statement by the Office of the Secretary for Security dated Thursday (July 30).

The Malaysian government hasn’t notified Macau authorities or made any requests regarding the fugitive, the office said.

Malaysia was informed in 2018 that Low wasn’t in the territory after the Macau sub-bureau of the China National Central Bureau of Interpol received a request from Malaysia.

Malaysia’s court on Tuesday said that Low had played a crucial role in transferring 42 million ringgit (S$13.5 million) of funds from a former 1MDB unit to former prime minister Najib Razak’s accounts. Najib was found guilty of all seven charges in the trial and faces 12 years in prison, along with a 210 million ringgit fine.