‘Jho Low’s lawyers warn 2 publishers’

KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyers acting for fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, are allegedly attempting to block the publication of two upcoming books on the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.

The books, set to be published next month, are The Sarawak Report by Clare Rewcastle-Brown, who is the editor of the blog of the same name, and Billion Dollar Whale, penned by Bradley Hope and Tom Wright of The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

This was the claim made by the Sarawak Report in its latest blog posting. The blog claimed that the United Kingdom publisher of Rewcastle-Brown’s book had received a letter from the London-based law firm Schillings, said to be the company representing Low.

“The letter threatened the publisher with ‘substantial damages’ on the basis that the firm assumed that the book would repeat what it called defamatory accusations against Jho Low by the Sarawak Report (the firm admitted it has yet to view a copy).”

The blog said Schillings claimed that no comment should be published about Low’s involvement in 1MDB prior to the completion of the civil proceedings concerning 1MDB asset seizures in the United States.

It claimed that Schillings complained that The Sarawak Report could mention Low, without giving the latter the right to reply to the allegations.

“In its letter to the London publisher, Schillings said The Sarawak Report might repeat allegations circulating in the press and social media, which they claim ‘are part of a politicallymotivated campaign by the present Malaysian government’.” It said Schillings had dismissed the blog’s reporting on Low’s involvement in 1MDB as “speculative, unproven and untested allegations”, saying that the information was “incomplete and lacks appropriate context”.

The blog, however, maintained that its allegations were documented, detailed and corroborated. It noted that Low had yet to contest any of its articles.

It also claimed that the publishers of Billion Dollar Whale had received similar letters. It claimed that the WSJ, in a report, said Schillings was being funded via payments made by Thai businessman Phengphian Laogumnerd, allegedly an aide of Low.

The WSJ report said US investigators were probing whether the money used to fund Schillings and other lawyers working for Low was sourced from 1MDB.

The blog said WSJ would continue to publish its book in the US.

The letter threatened the publisher with ‘substantial damages’... THE SARAWAK REPORT