Apandi says he arranged meetings to discuss repatriation of 1MDB funds

PETALING JAYA: Former attorney general Tan Sri Apandi Ali has said that he was the one who arranged the meetings between representatives of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho and the government.

"I was approached by Kobre & Kim from Washington DC, seeking my assistance to arrange for a meeting with the AG of Malaysia at the end of May 2022. I arranged a series of meetings, whereby representatives from Kobre & Kim came to Malaysia," he said when contacted on Saturday (July 16).

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Apandi said that the government was represented by the Attorney General, his officer and a senior officer from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) at the meeting which took place at the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC).

"The purpose of the meetings was to discuss the repatriation of monies allegedly siphoned by Jho Low from 1MDB," said Apandi.

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He said it appeared that the meetings were positive, but then they were aborted and called off by the AGC "for reasons best known to them".

This comes after the AGC said that Low had attempted to engage with the government for an offer to settle the charges against him.

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"The AGC confirms that Jho Low, through his representatives, has made attempts to engage with the government of Malaysia for a settlement this year.

In these attempts, Jho Low's representatives met with agencies of the government of Malaysia, including the AGC," it said in a statement on Saturday.

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It added that it rejected all offers for a settlement from Jho Low's representatives.

The Edge had previously reported, quoting sources, that Low offered RM1.5bil to the government to settle the charges against him.

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The report added that he was represented by former attorney general Tan Sri Apandi Ali during negotiations.

Low is also facing a US$3.78 billion (RM15.85bil) suit filed by 1MDB and four of its subsidiaries.