By admin 
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Senior lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah has claimed that fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho is currently hiding in Myanmar, a country ravaged by conflict and instability.
Shafee, who is former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s chief adviser, made the claim on Tuesday (Nov 19) during a forum titled ‘Media town hall: Getting the facts straight: the untold stories of 1MDB and beyond‘
The lawyer’s statement was based on his cross-examination of Jasmine Loo Ai Swan, the former general counsel of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), who was once considered one of Low’s proxies.
Loo, who went rogue in 2018 before surrendering to authorities last year, was a key witness in Najib’s corruption trial over the embezzlement of billions from 1MDB.
Shafee suggested that, via Loo’s testimony in April 2024he concluded that Low is in Myanmar, possibly under the protection of the military junta.
Shafee claims Low’s ability to obtain a Myanmar passport for Loo is a sign of his influence and protection by Myanmar’s generals
He highlighted that Low had arranged for Loo to travel to Myanmar on a Myanmar passport, despite her initially using a Malaysian passport.
Shafee said the ability to obtain the passport was an indication of Low’s influence and the protection he may enjoy in Myanmar.
“From the testimony I questioned Loo, I think he (Low) is in Myanmar, protected by the generals,” Shafee said, adding: “Myanmar is like a cowboy country. You can do wonderful things there.”
Loo confirmed in her testimony that she entered Myanmar in 2019 and stayed there for four years while negotiating her safe return to Malaysia in 2021.
However, she faced difficulties when Myanmar soldiers arrested her upon arrival.
Loo further explained that her passport was not stamped as she used a separate travel document arranged by Low to present herself as a local resident.
The charges stem from ongoing investigations into 1MDB and the high-profile corruption case involving Najib Razak.
Loo surrendered himself to Malaysian authorities in July 2023 to assist investigations into the 1MDB scandal that looted more than US$4 billion (SGD5.32 billion) from Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund. Loo’s name was mentioned excessively during Najib’s ongoing corruption trial.
Earlier this month, a British financial fraud investigator, Richard Templeman, testified before the Malaysian Supreme Court that Low and his colleague Eric Tan Kim Loong allegedly used 1MDB funds for gambling in Las Vegas in 2012.
Templeman revealed that $13 million had been transferred to Las Vegas Sands LLC, where transactions were allocated for specific player numbers linked to Low and Tan.
Najib Razak defends 25 charges in 1MDB scandal after court deems evidence sufficient
The Kuala Lumpur High Court decided on October 30 that former Prime Minister Najib Razak will do so to continue his defense on 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering.
Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah found the prosecution’s evidence compelling enough to require Najib to formally respond to the allegations in the 1MDB corruption case.
Najib faces four charges of abuse of power for allegedly using his position to receive RM2.28 billion (about US$518 million) from 1MDB funds, in addition to 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
The abuse of power charges relate to events alleged to have taken place at an AmIslamic Bank Bhd branch on Jalan Raja Chulan between February 24, 2011 and December 19, 2014, while the money laundering charges relate to alleged transactions that took place between March 22 and August 30, 2013.
If convicted, Najib faces a prison sentence of up to 20 years and fines of up to five times the value of the reward received, or RM10,000 ($2,290), whichever is greater.
Najib publicly apologized last month for what he described as the mishandling of the 1MDB scandal, stating in a letter read by his son at a press conference that “it pains me every day to know that the 1MDB debacle took place under my watch as minister of Finance and Prime Minister.”
However, Najib has also maintained his innocence, arguing that he should not be held legally liable for activities he claims he did not initiate or knowingly support.
Najib is already serving a sentence following his conviction in a separate case 1MDB related case involving SRC Internationalanother former subsidiary.
Its original The twelve-year prison sentence was later reduced by half.