Low Taek Jho, a runaway entrepreneur, is alleged to be hiding in Myanmar, a state plagued by conflict and instability, according to senior attorney Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.
Shafee, who is the lead counsel for former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, made the claim on Tuesday ( 19 November ) during a forum titled’ Media Townhall: Getting the Facts Right—The Untold Stories of 1MDB &, Other Cases ‘
The lawyer’s statement was based on his cross-examination of Jasmine Loo Ai Swan, the former general counsel of 1Malaysia Development Bhd ( 1MDB), who was once considered one of Low’s proxies.
Loo, who allegedly lied in 2018 before turning himself in to the police last time, was a key witness in Najib’s fraud trial involving the alleged appropriation of billions from 1MDB.
Shafee suggested that, through Loo’s evidence in April 2024, he concluded that Low is in Myanmar, perhaps under the shelter of the military coup.
Shafee claims that Loo’s ability to obtain a Myanmar card demonstrates his support and impact by Myanmar’s generals.
Despite using a Malay passport for Loo’s first, he made it clear that Low had made arrangements for her to go to Myanmar.
According to Shafee, Low’s control and safety may be seen in evidence when he was able to obtain the card.
” From the testimony which I grilled Loo, I think he ( Low ) is in Myanmar, protected by the generals”, Shafee said, adding,” Myanmar is like a cowboy country. There are many wonderful things you can do it.
Loo’s evidence confirmed that she entered Myanmar in 2019 and spent four years there, negotiating a secure returning to Malaysia in 2021.
Nevertheless, she faced challenges when Myanmar troops apprehended her upon her appearance.
Spot further explained that Low had prepared a separate travel document to present herself as a local, but Loo explained that her card was not stamped.
The 1MDB investigation and the notorious problem event involving Najib Razak are both under investigation.
In July 2023, Loo gave herself to Malaysian authorities to assist with the 1MDB scandal, which allegedly looted more than US$ 4 billion (SGD$ 5.32 billion ) from the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund. Loo’s title was exceedingly mentioned during Najib’s continued corruption trial.
Richard Templeman, a UK-based financial scams analyst, testified earlier this month in the Malaysian High Court that Low and his associate Eric Tan Kim Loong reportedly used 1MDB resources for Las Vegas gaming in 2012, according to a testimony from Richard Templeman.
According to Templeman, US$ 13 million was transferred to Las Vegas Sands LLC, where certain person statistics associated with Low and Tan were designated.
After a court finds satisfactory evidence, Najib Razak will fight 25 charges in the 1MDB scandal.
On 25 counts of abuse of power and money laundering, the Kuala Lumpur High Court on October 30 decided that former prime minister Najib Razak would continue with his legal defense.
Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah ordered Najib to fully respond to the 1MDB corruption charge because the defendant’s evidence was powerful enough.
Najib is accused of using his position to receive RM2 billion ( around US$ 518 million ) from 1MDB cash in four works of abuse of power, in addition to 21 counts of money laundering totaling US$ 518 million.
The cash laundering allegations relate to alleged transactions that occurred between 22 March and 30 August 2013, while the abuse of power allegations relate to events that allegedly occurred between an AmIslamic Bank Bhd tree on Jalan Raja Chulan between February 24 and December 19, 2014.
If convicted, Najib faces up to 20 years in prison and fines up to five times the value of the gratification received or RM10, 000 ( US$ 2, 290 ), whichever is greater.
Najib apologized in public last month for handling the 1MDB scandal, saying in a letter read by his brother at a press conference that “it symptoms me every day that the 1MDB crisis occurred under my view as minister of finance and perfect minister.”
Najib has even argued that he is innocent and should not be held legally accountable for his actions, which he claims he neither initiated nor intentionally supported.
Najib is currently serving a statement following his faith in a separate 1MDB-related event involving SRC International, another former company.
Afterward, his original 12-year prison term was reduced by half.
