Super Yacht seizure - a CAUSE of embarrassment for Malaysians

Will Malaysia follow up yacht seizure with Jho Low’s arrest

The prime minister must explain why Malaysia has failed to act, says Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin – The Malaysian Insight pic, March 1, 2018.

NOW that Indonesia has seized Low Taek Jho’s yacht, will Malaysia finally move to arrest the financier, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin said.

"The whole world knows he (Low) is a liar. There is evidence and also, a report has been issued," Muhyiddin said at party headquarters in Petaling Jaya today.

Muhyiddin said Indonesia took action because the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) had filed reports of misappropriation of funds from 1Malaysia Development Board, and Malaysia should follow suit.  

"All the problems come from Malaysia, so why has no action been taken here?  

"The yacht has been seized, can a summons be issued to nab Low now?"   

Prime Minister Najib Razak should provide the answers to such questions, said Muhyiddin.

Earlier today, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali said the Indonesian seizure of Low's yacht was in stark contrast to Malaysia’s inaction.

Azmin lauded the seizure of the yacht as a “milestone”.

“The headlines in Indonesian news (outlets) spoke plainly: 'Kapal Equanimity dibeli dengan uang hasil korupsi di Malaysia' (Equanimity yacht bought with corruption-derived money from Malaysia)

“As the 14th general election draws close, the seizure of the Equanimity has given Malaysians a foretaste of what a Pakatan Harapan victory could bring: Jho Low and his kleptocrat conspirators brought to justice, and their billions in ill-gotten assets brought back to Malaysia, to be returned to help the people.”

Indonesian authorities yesterday seized Low's RM1 billion yacht, the Equanimity, one of the assets that the DoJ alleged was purchased with money siphoned from 1MDB.

The US$260 million Equanimity was allegedly purchased by Low, an associate of the Malaysian prime minister, and whom the DoJ has fingered as the mastermind in a scheme to steal from the state investment fund.

Low responded by accusing the DoJ of overreach.

The DoJ filed a series of civil forfeiture suits to seize more than US$1 billion in real estate and other assets allegedly purchased with stolen money, but suspended the suits to launch a criminal investigation into the case. Th DoJ alleges that more than US$4.5 billion of 1MDB funds were diverted by high-level officials and their associates between 2009 and 2015.

Among the assets the DoJ has filed to seize are the Equanimity and the rights to Dumb and Dumber To, produced by Red Granite, a production house co-owned by Riza Aziz, Najib’s stepson. – March 1, 2018.