KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 — Fugitive financier Low Taek Jho could more effectively deny his role in the 1MDB saga by returning to Malaysia and defending himself in the court system, said DAP’s Lim Kit Siang.
Dismissing the bid by the billionaire known as Jho Low to clear himself via a revamp of his personal website, the Iskandar Puteri noted the public relations campaign is only starting now as criminal charges are being made over the Malaysian corruption scandal.
Lim also suggested that Low’s efforts were part of a two-prong offensive with former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to reject blame for their alleged roles in the scandal, and suggested it would not have emerged had Barisan Nasional (BN) won the general election.
“Let me put to Jho Low bluntly, if he is innocent, he should return home to vindicate himself instead of being an international fugitive from more and more countries,” Lim said in a statement.
He also asked Low if the latter’s website was an attempt at damage control over allegations contained in the Billion Dollar Whale book that he tried to aid BN in its failed general election campaign.
Low relaunched his personal website this week in an attempt to tell his side of the 1MDB saga.
His primary targets have been recent books on the scandal, especially Billion Dollar Whale by Wall Street Journal’s Tom Wright and Bradley Hope, which lawyers believed to represent him have tried to force off bookshelves by way of legal threats.
Low remains wanted in Malaysia where he has outstanding arrest warrants issued to the police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission over his alleged role in the 1MDB scandal.
He steadfastly denies any wrongdoing in relation to the state investment firm, insisting his involvement ended with the Terengganu Investment Authority prior to its rebranding as 1MDB by Najib.
