Prime minister says Malaysia not considering or supporting any pardon application for fugitive Jho Low in the US.
SENDAYAN: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said the Malaysian government is not involved in any consideration regarding a reported pardon application linked to fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, widely known as Jho Low, in the United States.
He said any decision on the matter falls entirely under the jurisdiction of the US government.
“There is no issue. We are not considering it. That is a decision for the US,” he told reporters after the National Youth Day 2026 celebration here, today.
When asked whether Malaysia would object to the US government over the matter, Anwar replied: “That is a decision for the United States. As far as we are concerned, we are not supporting it.”
On Wednesday, media reports stated that Jho Low is seeking a pardon from US President Donald Trump over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.
The latest development has reignited global attention on the multibillion-dollar financial scandal, with Malaysian authorities insisting that efforts must remain focused on locating the businessman and ensuring he faces justice.
1MDB Task Force chairman Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said any attempt to secure clemency for Jho Low should be firmly rejected.
The controversy follows a Wall Street Journal report claiming that Jho Low had formally submitted a pardon request in the United States.
A White House official was quoted as saying the application was not currently under active consideration.
According to reports, a United States Department of Justice database lists an application under the name Taek Jho Low categorised as a “Pardon after Completion of Sentence” filing submitted earlier this year.
Jho Low remains one of the central figures in the sprawling 1MDB corruption scandal and is wanted in several jurisdictions over allegations involving fraud, corruption and money laundering.
It was reported that about US$4.5 billion was siphoned from 1MDB between 2009 and 2015 through a complex web of transactions involving fund officials and individuals linked to Jho Low.
Despite years of investigations and international warrants, the businessman has consistently denied wrongdoing and remains at large, with his whereabouts still unknown.
The scandal triggered massive political fallout in Malaysia and was widely seen as a key factor behind the collapse of the Barisan Nasional government in the 2018 general election after more than six decades in power.
Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who founded 1MDB in 2009, has since been convicted in multiple corruption-linked cases connected to the scandal and is serving a prison sentence.
Najib’s defence team has repeatedly portrayed Jho Low as the main architect behind the embezzlement scheme.
International investigations into the scandal have also implicated major financial institutions and led to criminal proceedings against former Goldman Sachs bankers.
The Wall Street Journal further reported that Malaysia had previously agreed to temporarily suspend an Interpol red notice against Jho Low as part of efforts to recover overseas assets allegedly linked to the scandal.
In 2019, United States authorities moved to recover around US$1 billion in assets linked to Jho Low, including luxury properties in Beverly Hills, New York and London, as well as a private jet and other high-value assets.
Over the years, speculation has mounted that Jho Low may be hiding in China, although Beijing has repeatedly denied claims that it is sheltering the fugitive financier.
