Cops unable to locate key people linked to 1MDB issue

KUALA LUMPUR: Police are unable to determine the whereabouts of several individuals alleged to be involved in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) controversy.

The individuals are businessman Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, Casey Tang, Jasmine Loo, Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil and Yusof Annuar Yaacob.

"The police cannot trace and determine the whereabouts of these individuals.

"At the same time, no application has been received from any parties seeking Interpol's help to trace these individuals," said the Home Ministry in a written reply to Wong Chen (PKR-Kelana Jaya).

It was reported that Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) is investigating Tang and Loo under the Exchange Control Act 1953 and are attempting to ascertain their whereabouts.

Tang was one of the founders of Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA), which later became 1MDB.

He was part of the early TIA team together with 1MDB's former managing director Datuk Shahrol Azral Halmi.

Loo is reported to have joined 1MDB in 2011 to replace Tang. Prior to that, she was the executive director of the Utama Banking Group Bhd's compliance and legal department, a company that businessman Jho Low and his associates used to own.

She was also a director in Putrajaya Perdana Berhad, a company that UBG took over in 2008.

Nik Faisal was SRC International's managing director, a company that was formerly a subsidiary of 1MDB.

He was, at one time, also the chief investment officer at 1MDB.

Yusof Annuar was previously Goldman Sachs Malaysia’s chairman and managing director.