M’sia could go to war over Jho Low, but we will lose - Dr M
Malaysia is keeping tabs on Low Taek Jho but is unable to employ drastic measures to bring the fugitive financier home to face justice, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.
Jho Low, as he is known as, is wanted for being the alleged mastermind of the 1MDB money-laundering scandal...
Malaysia is keeping tabs on Low Taek Jho but is unable to employ drastic measures to bring the fugitive financier home to face justice, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.
Jho Low, as he is known as, is wanted for being the alleged mastermind of the 1MDB money-laundering scandal.
“We can go to war but we will lose the war and we will lose Jho Low.
“We are conscious that we are not a very strong nation. Sometimes people are nice to us, sometimes they are not, We have to accept (it),” Mahathir said.
He said this when asked by the media after receiving an honorary doctorate from the National Arts, Culture and Heritage Academy in Kuala Lumpur.
The premier maintained that Malaysia remained in pursuit of Low despite obstacles.
“We are working hard on it, (we are) trying to get information but the information is not easy to get.
“I am told he may carry several passports. I am also told he may have undergone some alterations to his face and all that.
“All these things are rumours, I have no proof.
"But it could happen and that makes it difficult for us to trace him,” he said.
Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador previously said the police were aware of Low’s whereabouts and accused his host country of refusing to cooperate with Malaysia.
He also brushed off claims from the country, which he did not name, that Low (photo) was hard to track down as he had undergone drastic plastic surgery and now had animal-like features.
'IGP briefs me from time to time'
Today, Mahathir clarified that the IGP briefs him about Low periodically but not constantly.
This was in response to an apparent dissonance between him and Hamid on whether Malaysia knew where Low was.
“He said that he (Low) is not in Cyprus. He has not told me where he has found Low so I wouldn't know.
“It’s not like every time he knows where Jho Low is supposed to be, he rings me up and says 'Jho Low is here'. No, it's not like that at all.
“Once in a while, he reports to me,” Mahathir clarified.
It was recently revealed that Low had in 2015 obtained a Cypriot passport after investing in property in the Mediterranean island state.
Cyprus is revoking the passports of several individuals, including one Malaysian believed to be Low.
Last year, Mahathir said Malaysia had embarked on “private attempts” to repatriate Low from China.
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