Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua is hopeful that police will act on his police report against businessman Jho Low and others linked to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) after Umno leaders this week called for Low’s head.

 

Umno leaders, including Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and Kepala Batas MP Reezal Merican Naina, demanded that Low be investigated after he called Umno “ spin masters ”.

 

Pua said prior to this he lodged a report against Low, former 1MDB CEO Shahrol Halmi and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak on March 4, but the police “have yet to lift their fingers to question Low”.

 

To make matters worse, Low admitted in the media that he has yet to be called by the authorities to assist in investigations, while Pua noted that activists and opposition leaders are hounded by the police.

 

“We would like to find out if Low is a specially-protected person who cannot be arrested or questioned.” 

“And is Low untouchable because he is well-known to have a cosy relationship with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his family members?

 

“Does he still deserve the protection, with the recent blood-thirsty howls from Umno leaders themselves?” he asked in a statement.

 

‘Brazen and heinous crime’

 

Pua lodged a police report on the 2009 1MDB joint venture with Saudi oil firm PetroSaudi, which allegedly saw US$700 million (RM2.55 billion) transferred from 1MDB to a company controlled by Low.

 

The allegation is based on purported leaked internal email that was published by whistleblower website Sarawak Report .

 

PetroSaudi lodged a police report over the leaked email, but did not deny the veracity of its contents. It also went on to claim that all the funds invested by 1MDB in the now defunct joint venture went to PetroSaudi.

 

1MDB said it has recovered all of the US$1 billion (RM3.65 billion) it invested in the venture, while Low decried being a victim of political crossfire.

 

Low, who has been friends with Najib’s stepson Riza Aziz for 16 years, did not deny getting a cut from the deal and admitted he had given “advice” to 1MDB.

 

“If the above public allegations are true, and they have yet to be specifically refuted by any of the parties above, then it is a brazen and heinous crime against the Malaysian government and its taxpayers. 

 

“The scale of embezzlement may be the largest ever in Malaysia’s financial history,” Pua said.

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