Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak has defended his remarks that there was no evidence the luxury yacht seized by Indonesian authorities in Bali is owned by 1MDB-link businessperson Jho Low.

He said he had based his remarks on the Equanimity after reviewing the facts in the US Department of Justice's (DOJ) civil forfeiture suit against 1MDB.

"I have seen the documents in the lawsuit. It is an allegation that it (the yacht) belongs to Jho Low, but last year the investigation was suspended and now there are no documents saying as such.

"We are not defending Jho Low at all. I am just stating the facts of the case," Salleh said when met by reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.

He was asked to respond to his predecessor Rais Yatim, who slammed the minister over his remarks that there was no evidence that the Equanimity belongs to Low.

Salleh (photo) said Rais may have reacted without reading his statement in its entirety.

"In my view, he only looked at it from one perspective. Because we are talking about facts. Maybe we have differing opinions based on different narratives."

The Equanimity was seized in Bali last week, in a joint operation involving Indonesian police and the US' Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).

The DOJ claims that Low had commissioned the Equanimity to be built for an estimated US$250 million (RM1 billion), using money allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB.

The department believes that at least US$4.5 billion has been misappropriated from 1MDB by Malaysian government officials, among others, and is looking to recover approximately US$1.7 billion in assets allegedly acquired in the US using these stolen funds.

Meanwhile, Salleh said he believes the seizure of the superyacht would not have an impact on support for BN.

"None at all. As usual, we will focus on explaining to the people what we have done, and give them confidence that BN is the coalition that will ensure stability in the country and create opportunities for education and jobs," he said.

However, he has no doubt that the opposition will try to capitalise on the matter in an effort to win votes.

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