HK refused to arrest businessman in 2016, says Singapore

SINGAPORE: Singapore said its 2016 request to Hong Kong authorities to arrest Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, for alleged money laundering and dealing with stolen property was not acted on, refuting media reports saying it did not ask for him to be apprehended.

The request for assistance to provisionally arrest Low – a central figure in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) investigation – was sent to the Hong Kong Department of Justice in April 2016, a representative for Singapore’s police said yesterday in response to Bloomberg News queries.

“Singapore’s request was declined by the Hong Kong authorities,” Singapore police said, without elaborating on why it was denied.

The request was made under an agreement for the surrender of fugitive offenders between both territories, it said.

The Department of Justice in Hong Kong said it did not comment on individual cases.

Low’s representative did not immediately reply to an e-mail seeking comment.

The South China Morning Post said in a July 7 report that Low was free to recently leave Hong Kong for Macau because neither Malaysia nor Singapore had formally requested his arrest.

He left Macau, the world’s biggest casino hub, for an unknown destination, according to Malaysiakini.

1MDB is at the heart of a scandal which allegedly saw US$4.5bil (RM18bil) misappropriated from the fund.

Switzerland’s top prosecutor said on Tuesday that 1MDB was used as a Ponzi scheme.

Low, described by Malaysian authorities as the “best witness”, said in June that he would help in the probe and instructed his lawyers to contact the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission after he was made aware that they were seeking him for assistance.

He has previously denied wrongdoing, although Malaysia has said that it has enough evidence on Low’s crimes.

“We issued a warrant of arrest for Low in April 2016, following investigations and charges against him for offences of money laundering and dishonestly receiving stolen property,” Singapore police said yesterday.

“Low remains a key person of interest to Singapore in ongoing 1MDB-related investigations.”

At Singapore’s request, Interpol published a Red Notice – a request to locate and provisionally arrest a person – for Low in 2016.

Both Singapore’s warrant of arrest for Low and the Interpol Red Notice against him were still in force, police said. — Bloomberg

Low remains a key person of interest to Singapore in ongoing 1MDB-related investigations. Singapore police