Malaysia’s 1MDB task force urges the US to help locate fugitive Jho Low, rejecting his reported pardon appeal to Trump.
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian government has ramped up its stance against fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, popularly known as Jho Low, following reports that he has appealed to US President Donald Trump for a presidential pardon regarding 1MDB-related criminal charges.
The news has refocused global scrutiny on one of history’s most extensive financial fraud probes.
Malaysian officials remain adamant that international cooperation should be directed towards apprehending and prosecuting Low, rather than granting him clemency.
1MDB Task Force chairman Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani told Reuters that any request for a pardon must be dismissed.
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m against the pardon,” Johari stated via text message.
The Investment, Trade and Industry Minister added that the United States should prioritise assisting Malaysia in pinpointing Low’s location to allow investigations into the multi-billion dollar scandal to proceed.
Johari also clarified that he was unaware of any ongoing negotiations between the Malaysian government and the fugitive concerning the repatriation of 1MDB-linked assets.
The controversy was triggered by a Wall Street Journal report alleging that Low recently filed a formal petition for a presidential pardon. If granted, the move could effectively quash his US criminal charges.
While a US Department of Justice database reportedly shows a pending application under the name “Taek Jho Low”—filed earlier this year and categorised as a “Pardon after Completion of Sentence”—a White House official indicated the request is not currently being actively considered.
Low is accused of being the mastermind behind the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) crisis. Investigators claim at least US$4.5 billion was drained from the sovereign wealth fund between 2009 and 2015 through an intricate web of money laundering and fraud.
Low has consistently maintained his innocence through legal representatives but has remained in hiding for nearly a decade.
His exact whereabouts remain a mystery, though speculation frequently points towards China, a claim Beijing has repeatedly denied.
