KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 — Fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho’s settlement deal with the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) over misappropriated 1MDB funds was a shameful first for Malaysia, DAP’s Lim Kit Siang said today.
The Iskandar Puteri MP was referring to Low’s agreement to surrender US$1 billion (RM4.2 billion) in assets allegedly bought with misappropriated 1MDB funds.
“Jho Low is not only the first Malaysian, but the only person in the world who could surrender US$1 billion in funds, although his action ‘does not constitute an admission of guilt, liability or any form of wrongdoing by me or the asset owners’.
“But this is not an action which any Malaysian can feel proud. Malaysia must aim to be world-class but in achievements and fields where all Malaysians can feel proud.
“We must not lose hope in the objective of Pakatan Harapan to achieve a New Malaysia which is to be a top world-class nation of unity, justice, freedom, excellence and integrity and we must be prepared to be assessed based on these goals — not to be a global kleptocracy or our ability to produce a Jho Low,” he said in a statement today.
The DoJ announced the settlement yesterday but stressed that it did not exonerate Low or release his from future charges.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday that Malaysia will ask the US to hand over the US$1 billion in assets recovered from Low.
