KUALA LUMPUR: There is no credible proof supporting a report that fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, is in China or using an Australian passport, according to Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
He stated that the report about Low's location and the passport he allegedly used is not backed by credible evidence or facts.
"The Home Ministry, through the police, is cooperating closely and continuously with our foreign counterparts and international authorities to track down Low.
"So far, the report alleging where he is and the passport he is supposedly using are not supported by credible proof. It remains only a report by the portal," he told reporters after visiting the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) on Thursday (July 24).
He was commenting on a report by investigative outlet Brazen, which claimed that Low is reportedly living in China using a forged Australian passport under a Greek alias.
The publication, co-founded by former Wall Street Journal reporters Bradley Hope and Tom Wright, claims Low is residing in a luxury neighbourhood in Shanghai under the name "Constantinos Achilles Veis" on the fraudulent passport.
In response to the report, Australia's Foreign Affairs and Trade Department (FATD) issued a statement warning that passport fraud is a serious offence under Australian law.
"The Australian Passport Office specialist investigators and intelligence officers assess every allegation of fraudulent use of Australian passports," a FATD spokesman said.
The use of a false Australian passport is an offence under the country's passport legislation, with convicted offenders facing up to 10 years in jail, a fine of up to A$330,000 (about RM910,500), or both.
FATD added that it could not comment on individual cases because of privacy laws.
Low, who has consistently denied wrongdoing, is wanted by multiple jurisdictions, including Malaysia, the United States, and Singapore, for his role in siphoning an estimated US$4.5bil (RM21bil) from the sovereign fund.
Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has been in prison since 2022 after being convicted of corruption and money laundering linked to the scandal.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim responded cautiously to the latest claims, saying, "We have no information, we are yet to receive anything."
"Let me check. I've read the media reports. I need to verify with the home minister,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
The Brazen report also comes amid long-standing international efforts to bring Low to justice.
