PORT KLANG, Aug 7 ― The government said it has laid claim on Equanimity as they believe public funds were misused to purchase the billion-ringgit superyacht.

Lawyer Jeremy Joseph, who is representing 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), said the claim on the boat, which allegedly belongs to fugitive financier Jho Low, was based on civil forfeiture suits made by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) last year.

Joseph, who was among a team that had entered the yacht after it arrived here today at 12.40pm, said while the old management of 1MDB had denied that its funds were used to purchase Equanimity, the new management felt otherwise.

“Our 1MDB legal team was appointed by the Attorney General’s Chambers to represent both the investment firm and Putrajaya.

“We have initiated an admiralty suit, which basically means we can ‘arrest’ the vessel and in order to do that, in pursuant to our rules, we need to get the sheriff to stick the warrant of arrest on the vessel.

“This was the purpose of our visit today,” he told reporters at the Terminal Boustead Cruise Center where the yacht is docked.

Joseph said his team had submitted for the warrant of arrest at the Admiralty Court in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, in which they said 1MDB funds had been misappropriated in four tranches to purchase the Equanimity.

He said with the matter now in court anyone who claims to own the yacht on paper has a right to establish their ownership.

Joseph said that it would take six to nine months for the court to determine who will be the rightful owner of the yacht.

“Maybe the process could be completed sooner, it all depends on how many people contest for ownership,” he said adding that his team had also asked for an order of sale for the yacht as it’s expensive to maintain it.

When asked how much maintenance would cost, Joseph said he estimates it to be at least RM3 million a month.

He said the lawyers also met with the Norwegian captain Oystein Senneseth and his 16 crew members who were hired just three weeks ago.

“They are all well and will be maintained as the crew, for now, but the matter of their pay will be decided in court.”

When asked to describe the Equanimity, Joseph said it was classy and beautiful, with the interior of the ship mainly made of marble and timber.