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PETALING JAYA: Fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, approached the previous government led by Pakatan Harapan to avoid charges in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal, Al Jazeera reported.
The news network said Low allegedly spoke to government officials in a series of phone calls from May to November 2018.
Audio clips of their phone conversations appeared in Al Jazeera’s two-part special investigation “Jho Low: Hunt For A Fugitive.”
Al-Jazeera said it had privately verified the conversations, which were handed over exclusively to it.
However, he did not identify who Low was speaking to from the Malaysian side.
“I want you to convey if possible to Mahathir (former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) that I really believe that the change of government presents a real opportunity to solve these 1MDB-related problems. I am committed to doing so,” Low said. in one of the clips.
He said that in return, he would give up all assets and that the money would be used to pay off the 1MDB bonds.
In addition to Malaysia, Low is also wanted by the United States Department of Justice for criminal offenses despite reaching a $ 700 million civil settlement with them last year.
In the audio clips, Low is heard saying that he wanted the Malaysian government to help him deal with the United States, Singapore and Switzerland over the charges he faces in those countries.
He also blamed former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, claiming that he ultimately had no authority to make any decisions about the sovereign wealth fund.
“It is a fairly well known fact that all approvals have to be approved by the finance minister,” he said, referring to Najib.
Najib was sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined RM210,000 in July this year for a case involving SRC International, a 1MDB subsidiary.
Najib, who is currently out on bail while awaiting the outcome of his appeal, also faces many other charges in connection with 1MDB.
Low also claimed in the recording that Najib received a donation from the late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, but it was only a small part that ended up in Najib’s personal bank account.
He also said he believed Najib’s wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, bought more than $ 500 million worth of jewelry with 1MDB funds.
Low, who is from Penang, also claimed that Najib’s son Ashman bombarded him with text messages, including one telling him not to trust anyone on the “other side” and that a deal would be proposed, but it was a ” trick”. .
Low also cleared himself of any wrongdoing related to the scandal.
“I don’t think there is any crime. Ultimately, these were all loans, directly or indirectly.
“But ultimately, I think the time has come: we want to help repatriate these assets in exchange for cooperating and moving on with life without, you know, prosecution,” he said.
He also stated that it was a very difficult and stressful situation for him.
The Al Jazeera report also said that Low was still able to travel despite Interpol’s red notices about him, allegedly flying from Bangkok to Dubai on a plane in November 2019, stopping for three days in Ahmedabad, India en route.
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