Malaysian police probe claims that Jho Low returned to Kuala Lumpur for secret 1MDB talks

Malaysian police will investigate claims that fugitive financier Jho Low returned to the country for secret meetings.Inspector-General of Police Mohd Khalid Ismail said the claims that Low, whose full name is Low Taek Jho, had come to Malaysia for meetings had not been verified.“We have not verified whether the claims are true or otherwise,” he told reporters on Saturday. “We will take appropriate action to investigate the matter further.”He was commenting on an article by Sarawak Report exclusive claiming that Low’s plea for a US presidential pardon was filed in January amid extraordinary circumstances, with the Malaysian fraudster playing a key role in secret negotiations between China and Malaysia to write off 1MDB-related debts at the end of last year.Jho Low poses for a photo at his Jynwel Capital office in Hong Kong’s Central in March 2015. Photo: SCMPThe online portal also quoted sources claiming that Low attended the meetings in Kuala Lumpur, under the protection of the Chinese delegation. Low’s intricate knowledge of the situation and contacts in Malaysia played into his involvement in a key resolution of the situation, it reported.Low was previously identified as a central figure in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal. He was charged in Malaysia in 2018 for misappropriating 17.7 billion ringgit (US$4.5 billion) from 1MDB but remains at large.The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Low was seeking clemency from US President Donald Trump.According to the report, which cited sources familiar with the matter, the request was filed in recent weeks and, if granted, would remove the criminal charges against him in the United States.11:20The legacy of Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal on politics and corruption-fightingOn Wednesday, Khalid told Bernama police investigations into the Low were continuing despite reports of the pardon request.“We are still pursuing actions as before and maintaining good relations with the countries concerned,” he said, as quoted by the news agency. “The matter remains under our action and action.”This article was first published by The StarAdditional reporting by SCMP’s Asia deskFurther Reading