Jho Low might be brought back by year end - IGP

SHAH ALAM, Sept 25  -- Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador has indicated that fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as  Jho Low, is expected to be brought back to Malaysia by year end.

He said Jho Low was being protected by certain parties  so that he could hide in a particular country, which made it difficult for him to be extradited back to Malaysia.

"It is difficult for me to give a time line (to bring back  Jho Low) because he has run away for a long time but I am making efforts to expedite things, perhaps by the end of the year,” he said when appearing as a guest on the Bicara Minda programme organised by Malay daily Sinar Harian here today.

He said based on intelligence, Jho Low, who is wanted by Malaysia in connection with the 1MDB scandal, it was found that he was free to conduct business activities without any hindrances in the country concerned, along with four or five accomplices.

Without stating the name of the country, Abdul Hamid, however, stated that it had an extradition treaty with Malaysia.

He added that the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) was stepping up negotiations (to bring Jho Low back) and voicing its displeasure to the parties protecting him.

He said the parties providing him refuge in the country involved were also claiming that he should not be handed over to the RMP because he was the victim of a political conspiracy.

"The issue of  Jho Low has  nothing to do with politics whether here or in the country providing him refuge. (Malaysian) Police have stressed it is about commercial crimes, so our question is why are they not cooperating? Now I am upping the pressure (to hand over Jho Low).

Speaking at a press conference afterwards,  Abdul Hamid said there were many ways to bring Jho Low back besides extradition.

Among them were through the court process, cooperation between the RMP and Immigration Department and  their counterparts in that country besides government-to government,  he said.

It is alleged that Jho Low was very close to former Malaysian prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is now facing a slew of corruption and money-laundering charges related to the 1MDB scandal, which cost the Malaysian government billions in losses.

-- BERNAMA