FUGITIVE businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low should be held accountable if the Equanimity was obtained through illegal means, says former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
“If the yacht was obtained in a manner that is illegal, in the sense that money that is not due to him has been used, then he has to be accountable for it.
“Whatever has to be done should be on the basis of rule of law,” he said at the Parliament lobby.
Asked on Low’s claim that the US Department of Justice had not proven its case, Najib said Jho Low can say anything he wanted.
“We are not involved in respect to the yacht at all,” he said, referring to the previous government.
The Equanimity is now berthed at the Boustead Cruise Centre in Pulau Indah after it was handed over to Malaysian authorities by Indonesia late last week.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman told the Dewan Rakyat that Malaysia may opt to use the government-to-government approach to bring back Jho Low.
He added that the businessman is believed to be moving around from one place to another.
“If he is in China, with the government-to-government approach, we can work something out.
“We can request (for China to bring Jho Low back to Malaysia) if he is still there,” he said at the Parliament lobby.
Beijing has investigated multiple tip-offs from Malaysia that the fugitive businessman was in China, but none turned out to be valid, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Mohd Azis said local intelligence personnel were actively in the field to locate Low.
“We cannot reveal everything. We have sent men everywhere to find him. But as of now, we cannot confirm his exact location,.
“If you have information, you can also help us,” he said.
Low lived in Hong Kong for at least five years when he was accused of playing a role in the 1MDB scandal.
Meanwhile, Ketereh MP Tan Sri Annuar Musa asked Low to return to Malaysia if he wished to clear his name.
“If he is innocent he should come home and prove his innocence,” he said.
