No credible proof of Jho Low's location or passport use, says Malaysian Home Minister
Jho Low is wanted by multiple jurisdictions for his role in siphoning an estimated US$4.5 billion (S$5.7 billion) from Malaysia's sovereign fund.
KUALA LUMPUR - There is no credible proof supporting a report that fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, is in China or using an Australian passport, according to Malaysia's Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
He stated that the report about Low's location and the passport he allegedly used is not backed by credible evidence or facts.
'The Home Ministry, through the police, is cooperating closely and continuously with our foreign counterparts and international authorities to track down Low.
'So far, the report alleging where he is and the passport he is supposedly using are not supported by credible proof. It remains only a report by the portal,' he told reporters after visiting the National Scam Response Centre on July 24.
He was commenting on a report by investigative outlet Brazen,
which claimed that Low is reportedly living in China using a forged Australian passport under a Greek alias .
The publication, co-founded by former Wall Street Journal reporters Bradley Hope and Tom Wright, claims Low is residing in a luxury neighbourhood in Shanghai under the name 'Constantinos Achilles Veis' on the fraudulent passport.
In response to the report, Australia's Foreign Affairs and Trade Department (FATD) issued a statement warning that passport fraud is a serious offence under Australian law.
'The Australian Passport Office specialist investigators and intelligence officers assess every allegation of fraudulent use of Australian passports,' a FATD spokesman said.
The use of a false Australian passport is an offence under the country's passport legislation, with convicted offenders facing up to 10 years in jail, a fine of up to A$330,000 (S$278,500) , or both.
FATD added that it could not comment on individual cases because of privacy laws.
Low, who has consistently denied wrongdoing, is wanted by multiple jurisdictions, including Malaysia, the United States, and Singapore, for his role in siphoning an estimated US$4.5 billion (S$5.7 billion) from the 1MDB sovereign fund.
Former prime minister Najib Razak has been in prison since 2022 after being convicted of corruption and money laundering linked to the scandal.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim responded cautiously to the latest claims, saying : 'We have no information, we are yet to receive anything.'
'Let me check. I've read the media reports. I need to verify with the home minister,' he was quoted as saying by news outlet Bernama.
The Brazen report also comes amid long-standing international efforts to bring Low to justice. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
10 minutes ago
- Straits Times
South Korean's death after 3 consecutive company drinking sessions ruled work-related
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox SEOUL – A South Korean court has ruled that the death of a worker following three consecutive company-related drinking sessions constitutes a work-related death, local media reported on Aug 3. The Seoul Administrative Court recently ruled in favor of the bereaved family of a worker who died from acute alcohol intoxication after attending consecutive company gatherings. The family had filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service's decision to deny survivor benefits and funeral expenses. The worker, who was in charge of sales management, was found dead in his car in the parking lot of his home at dawn on July 2, 2022. An autopsy determined the cause of death was acute alcohol intoxication from consuming a large amount of alcohol over a short period. It was confirmed that he drank on three consecutive nights from June 29 to July 1 at company events. On June 29, he attended a dinner with a client. The following day, he joined a gathering organized by a senior executive to promote camaraderie among employees. On July 1, he attended a dinner welcoming two newly hired foreign workers assigned to an overseas office. That night's expenses were more than 1 million won (S$926), exceeding typical company spending, and the participants split the cost. The key legal issue was whether the final gathering constituted a work-related event. The workers' compensation agency argued that it was not an official company event and that the sharing of costs by the participants indicated it was a private occasion. However, the court ruled otherwise, citing the nature of the relationship between the worker and the foreign hires, which required close cooperation. The court also noted that the worker was scheduled for a six-month overseas assignment and needed support from the newcomers. 'The drinking session likely had a strong work-related context, as it was held with the foreign workers to welcome his upcoming assignment abroad,' the ruling stated. 'It would have been difficult for him to refuse drinks under the circumstances, and the cost of 1 million won was excessive for a purely personal gathering.' THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Straits Times
40 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Trump's crackdown leaves LA's undocumented migrants on brink of homelessness
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox US President Donald Trump's anti-immigration offensive is taking an added toll on Latino workers, who were already among the worst-affected victims of the region's housing crisis. BUENA PARK, United States – When her husband was arrested in an immigration raid near Los Angeles i n July , Ms Martha was abruptly separated from the father of her two daughters. But she also lost the salary that allowed her to keep a roof over their heads. 'He's the pillar of the family... he was the only one working,' said the undocumented woman, using a pseudonym for fear of reprisals. 'He's no longer here to help us, to support me and my daughters.' Los Angeles, where one-third of residents are immigrants – and several hundred thousand people are undocumented – has been destabilised by intensifying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids under the Trump administration. Since returning to power, US President Donald Trump has delivered on promises to launch a wide-ranging deportation drive, targeting undocumented migrants but also ensnaring many others in its net. After her husband's arrest, 39-year-old Martha has joined the ranks of people barely managing to avoid ending up on the streets of Los Angeles County – a region with prohibitively high housing prices, and the largest number of homeless people in the United States outside New York. Her 700-square-foot apartment in Buena Park, a suburb of the California metropolis, costs US$2,050 (S$2,600) per month. After her husband's arrest, she urgently found a minimum-wage night job in a factory to cover their most pressing needs. It pays just enough to keep them afloat, but has left Ms Martha unable to cover a range of obligations. 'I have to pay car insurance, phone, rent and their expenses,' she said, pointing to her six- and seven-year-old daughters, who need school supplies for the new academic year. 'That's a lot of expenses.' Bigger storm brewing How long can she keep up this punishing schedule, which allows her barely three hours of sleep on returning from the factory before having to wake and look after her daughters? 'I couldn't tell you,' she said, staring blankly into space. Los Angeles has seen some of the worst of the ICE raids. Squads of masked agents have targeted hardware stores, car washes and bus stops, arresting more than 2,200 people in June. About 60 per cent of these had no prior criminal records, according to internal ICE documents analysed by AFP. Mr Trump's anti-immigration offensive is taking an added toll on Latino workers, who were already among the worst-affected victims of the region's housing crisis, said Ms Andrea Gonzalez, deputy director of the Clean Carwash Workers Center, a labour rights non-profit. 'A bigger storm is brewing. It's not just about the people that got picked up, it's about the people that are left behind as well,' she said. 'There is a concern that people are going to end up on the streets.' Her organisation is helping more than 300 struggling households whose incomes have plummeted, either because a family member has been arrested or because they are too afraid to return to work. It has distributed more than US$30,000 to help around 20 families who are unable to afford their rent, but covering everyone's needs is simply 'not sustainable', said Ms Gonzalez. An emergency Local Democratic Party leaders are trying to establish financial aid for affected families. Los Angeles County is planning a dedicated fund to tackle the problem, and city officials will also launch a fund using philanthropic donations rather than taxpayer money. Some families should receive 'a couple hundred' dollars, Mayor Karen Bass said i n July . But for Ms Gonzalez, these initiatives do not 'even scratch the surface' of what is needed, representing less than 10 per cent of most affected families' rent requirements. She called for a 'moratorium on evictions' similar to one introduced during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. Otherwise, Los Angeles' homeless population – currently numbered at 72,000, which is down slightly in the past two years – risks rising again, she warned. 'What we're living through right now is an emergency,' said Ms Gonzalez. Ms Maria Martinez's undocumented immigrant husband was arrested in June at a carwash in Pomona, a suburb east of Los Angeles. Since then, the 59-year-old has had to rely on help from her children to pay her US$1,800 monthly rent. Her US$1,000 disability allowance falls far short. 'It is stressful,' she said. 'We're just getting by.' AFP
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Ukraine's drone attack sparks fire at oil depot in Russia's Sochi, governor says
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox More than 120 firefighters were trying to extinguish a blaze at an oil depot in the Russian city of Sochi that was sparked by a Ukrainian drone attack, regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said early on Sunday on the Telegram messaging app. In the Krasnodar region where Sochi is located, a fuel tank with a capacity of 2,000 cubic metres (70,000 cubic feet) was on fire, Russia's RIA news agency reported, citing emergency officials. Rosaviatsia, Russia's civil aviation authority, said on Telegram that flights were halted at Sochi's airport to ensure air safety. Reuters could not independently verify the reports. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine. The attack, which Kondratyev said was in the Adler district of the coastal resort city, would be Ukraine's latest on infrastructure inside Russia that Kyiv deems key to Moscow's war efforts. A woman was killed in the Adler district in a Ukrainian drone attack late last month, but attacks on Sochi, which hosted the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, have been infrequent in the war that Russia launched in February 2022. The Krasnodar region on the Black Sea is home to the Ilsky refinery near the city of Krasnodar, among the largest in southern Russia and a frequent target of Ukraine's drone attacks. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Despite bag checks and warnings, young partygoers continue to vape in clubs in Singapore Singapore Ong Beng Seng to plead guilty on Aug 4, more than 2 years after trip to Qatar with Iswaran Singapore LTA, Singapore bus operators reviewing Malaysia's request to start services from JB at 4am Singapore NDP 2025: Veteran Red Lion says each leap 'feels like 5km run' Business Decoupling to save on tax? You may lose right to property if ties go awry Singapore Lessons learnt from Singapore's love-hate relationship with e-scooters Opinion At UN's Wipo, Singaporean Daren Tang strives to create an equal music for haves and have-nots Asia Mass grave with over 100 skeletons in Sri Lanka brings up old wounds Also on Sunday, the governor of Voronezh region in southern Russia said a woman had been injured in a Ukrainian drone strike that caused several fires, while Russia launched a missile attack on Kyiv, according to the military administration of the Ukrainian capital. REUTERS
