M’sia does not have extradition treaty with Taiwan

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia does not have an extradition treaty agreement with Taiwan, one of the two countries that Jho Low is believed to be hiding in.

The other is China which Malay­sia has a Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) treaty which can be used to extradite a wanted person.

A legal expert said it was not impossible to bring Low from Taiwan but cautioned that it would be a tedious and difficult process.

There were ways to go around this to get the expulsion order, said former Kuala Lumpur Bar Criminal Practice Committee chairman Lim Chi Chau.

“Malaysia can put a request to the country to bring Jho Low back. However, the request is subject to that government’s and authorities approval,” he said.

Lim said even if the request was granted, chances are that Low will put up a good fight to challenge the extradition order.

“This can be time-consuming and a long process, pending the court decision,” he said.

There have been numerous news reports saying Low was sighted in Taiwan and China over the past several months.

Malaysia also has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

After diplomatic ties were cut in 1974, both consulate offices were closed and renamed “Friendship and Trade Centre” in Taipei and “Economic and Cultural Centre” in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia considers Taiwan as part of China in line with Beijing’s “One China” policy under which the island is regarded as a renegade province.

As such, Lim said it would be even harder for Malaysia to make the extradition request.

He also explained that having an extradition treaty was a mere legal framework between Malaysia and the signatory country, which was surely not a shortcut to bring any wanted person or criminal back.

Low has yet to be charged with any crime despite investigations into the 1MDB scandal being conducted in the United States, Singa­pore, Switzerland, Luxem­bourg and the United Arab Emirates.

He was reportedly last seen in Bali on Feb 28, prior to his luxury superyacht Equanimity being seized in a joint operation between Indonesian police and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation near the holiday island.