If Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi knows enough to vouch for Macau-based alleged gambling kingpin Paul Phua, then it wouldn't be too difficult for him to track down Jho Low who is believed to be in Hong Kong.

Veteran journalist A Kadir Jasin made the sarcastic proposal, following Umno Youth's demand for Jho Low to be investigated over his involvement in the debt-ridden 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

"If Ahmad Zahid seems to know the internationally wanted alleged gambling kingpin Phua Wei Seng or Paul Phua well enough to vouch for him in a letter to the FBI...

"I am sure it will not be a hassle for us to find a totally respectable and dependable triad chief in Hong Kong to track down Jho Low. Or as a quid pro quo, we can ask the FBI to help.

Umno Youth's call to probe Jho Low, whose real name is Low Taek Jho, came after the young billionaire lashed out at the party for accusing him of being responsible in 1MDB's woes.

Jho Low had accused Umno of playing the racial card by painting him as the "Chinaman (who) stole the money and blew it on alcohol".

Kadir, who is a close associate of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, was referring to Ahmad Zahid's letter to the FBI in December last year.

Zahid's letter claimed the alleged kingpin had helped Malaysia in matters of national security and urged that he be allowed back in Malaysia.

The minister was embroiled in controversy after the letter was leaked to the public; its content also insisted that Phua was not a member of the 14K triad.

The FBI, which believes Phua to be a triad member, has pinned him on charges of running an illegal gambling operation.

Kadir said Jho Low's accusation of Umno being "spinmasters" was mild compared to the words Najib has used to describe his opponents.

For instance, he (Najib) called paid Umno bloggers ' bangang ' (stupid). He admitted that there are apple polishers and ' jemuan ' (undesirable people) in the party.

"He even labelled people whom he considered as ungrateful to the government ' haram jadah ' (illegitimate child).

"So what’s so terribly offensive if Jho Low followed suit by labelling his critics in Umno as spin masters?," asked Kadir.

'Didn't Najib clear Jho Low?'

Kadir also questioned why Umno was so incensed at Jho Low when Najib, in a written parliamentary reply, had cleared the flamboyant billionaire of any involvement with 1MDB.

"Then again, Jho Low could be chest deep in the 1MDB muck.

"He may not have worked with 1MDB and that all 1MDB decisions and dealings were done by the management and board of directors, but there was nothing to stop him from acting as a fee-earning agent or facilitator," he said.

Kadir likened the situation to companies owned by Abdul Razak Baginda ( left ), a close associate of Najib, which made a US$200 million commission from a US$2 billion submarine deal.

"Abdul Razak too did not work for the Defence Ministry and, I am sure that all decisions and dealings at the ministry were done by defence minister and his generals, but that did not stop Abdul Razak from acting as a fee-earning agent for the purchase of the Scorpéne-class submarines.

"He reputedly earned some US$200 million in commission for brokering the US$2-billion deal," said Kadir.

The government has denied the payment was a commission and that it was for "support services and coordination".

Kadir, along with other Mahathir's associates have been firing salvos at Najib and his supporters after the former prime minister declared open war.

Mahathir had questioned Najib on several issues including his management of 1MDB and relationship to Jho Low, his refusal to address the motive of Altantuya Shaariibuu's murder, and his family's wealth.

The Umno veteran who is bent on removing the prime minister, has said that the party will be defeated at the next general election if Najib remains as Umno president.