Pua wants IGP to haul in Jho Low

Khalid Abu Bakar asked to stop dilly-dallying on probing the 1MDB Scandal.

KUALA LUMPUR: Petaling Jaya Utara MP, Tony Pua, wants the Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar to stop dilly-dallying and haul in Penangite Jho Low to get his statement on the troubled state-owned 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

“It is depressing to learn that the IGP could be so tardy in taking any action against someone who could have robbed Malaysian tax-payers of billions of ringgit,” said Pua who is also DAP National Publicity Secretary. “He can be so ruthlessly efficient when investigating harmless tweets by opposition leaders, civil society activists, academics and even the ordinary man on the street.”

Is Jho Low a specially protected person who cannot be arrested or questioned?

Is Jho Low untouchable because he is well-known to have a cosy relationship with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and family members?

Does he still deserve protection despite the recent blood-thirsty howls from Umno leaders themselves?

Pua noted that even leaders like Umno Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin, and those in Umno Pulau Pinang, the state where Jho Low originated from, has demanded that he be investigated immediately. “The IGP must pay heed to ensure the crooks behind heinous crimes are made to pay for them,” added Pua.

Again, why haven’t the police summoned Jho Low to assist with investigations on the 1MDB Scandal?

He pointed out the then Batu Kawan Umno deputy chief Khairuddin Abu Hassan had filed a police report on 1MDB on December 12, 2014 asking for a “detailed and comprehensive” investigation of the company. “I personally filed a police report against 1MDB on March 4, 2015, seeking the same probe, supported by detailed information provided by the Sarawak Report,” said Pua.

In particular, he continued, “I wanted the police to investigate the principal protagonists behind 1MDB which has accumulated in excess of RM42 billion in debts in just five years. The parties named in the report on the massive financial scandal include Jho Low, former 1MDB CEO, Shahrol Halmi and Najib.”

It has been alleged that Jho Low masterminded the transactions behind the joint venture between 1MDB and little-known PetroSaudi International Limited, said Pua. “This has led to at least USD700 million from 1MDB being misappropriated to Good Star Limited, a company controlled by Jho Low.”

“Alleged email communications have shown that Shahrol Halmi had authorised the above transactions with the approval of Najib.”

If the above public allegations are true, argued Pua, and they have yet to be specifically refuted by any of the parties above, then it is a brazen and heinous crime against the Malaysian Government and tax-payers. “The scale of embezzlement may be the largest ever in Malaysia’s financial history.”

However, as of today, months after the police reports had been filed, lamented Pua, the police have yet to lift a finger to question Jho Low. “Jho Low himself has admitted to the international media that the Malaysian authorities have not attempted at all to seek his assistance on the above investigation.”