Backbencher suggests RM10mil bounty for Jho Low

KUALA LUMPUR: A government backbencher has suggested offering a RM10mil bounty for fugitive billionaire businessman Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low.

Chong Zhemin (PH-Kampar) said the government could consider the proposal and form a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to review the settlement agreement signed between Goldman Sachs and the government in order to find closure on the issue.

"I would like to give this proposal and I am sure that many will agree with this; can the government put a bounty as a reward for Jho Low's capture. RM1mil or RM10mil is fine, because the amount is less than the billions we have lost," said Chow.

"If we manage to capture Jho Low, only then will we know what truly happened during the 1MDB scandal," he added while debating the Supplementary Supply Bill 2024 at the committee stage in Parliament on Wednesday (March 20).

The settlement agreement signed in August 2020 between the Malaysian government and Goldman Sachs required Goldman Sachs to pay US$2.5bil in cash and provide the government of Malaysia with a US$1.4bil asset recovery guarantee.

Datuk Awang Hashim (PN-Pendang) then interjected, saying that if Chow wanted to know about the Goldman Sachs agreement, he could perhaps ask Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz directly as he was the Finance Minister then.

"He is now together with you at the government bloc," said the Pendang MP.

Earlier, Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu) cited Standing Order 23 (1) (g), and said that any matters on trial by the courts cannot be debated by the House because it may influence the outcome of the judgement.

However, Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor ruled that the matter can be debated as long as Chow did not touch on the specific details of the 1MDB court case.