KUALA LUMPUR: Police have identified more assets belonging to fugitive financier Jho Low and his family and are taking steps to freeze and seize the properties in the coming days.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador yesterday said Low, whose real name is Low Taek Jho, and his family had more assets worth millions of ringgit in Malaysia.
“We have succeeded in identifying the assets of this family and will take all the necessary steps to freeze and seize these properties such as a house that are worth millions of ringgit. We also have information that Low continues to have control of billions of US dollars,“ he said.
Abdul Hamid also said he had failed in deporting Low back to Malaysia last year.
“I admit I have failed to bring Low back to Malaysia by end of last year despite all the efforts the police had taken,” he said.
“We received a lot of assistance here and overseas.
“I took all the efforts.
“Unfortunately, we were faced with many obstacles and there are certain quarters who have thwarted our initiatives to bring him back.
“However, I will not give up.”
Low, who is the “number one person of interest” in the 1MDB financial scandal remains in hiding in a foreign country, had claimed that he was offered asylum in a country in Europe.
On a separate case involving the nine audio recordings of conversations between those implicated in the 1MDB scandal that were released to the public by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) last week, Abdul Hamid said police have the audio files in their possession.
He said investigations by a special police team have commenced and police would call up all relevant parties to have their statements recorded, including MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya and the individual who handed the audio files to the commission.
Abdul Hamid said any whistleblower in the case would receive protection as stipulated in the law.
He said the probe is being carried out under several provisions in the laws of the Penal Code and Official Secrets Act.
