Fugitive businessman and alleged mastermind of the global money-laundering 1MDB case is giving up billions that many say do not belong to him, but he remains elusive and no one from the US or Malaysia seem to be able to lay their hands on him.
According to news reports yesterday, Low is said to be in the United Arab Emirates where he is travelling freely to other destinations, unhindered despite being on an Interpol list of criminals.
Low is said to be residing in the UAE and has obtained asylum in another country on the basis of human rights and political persecution.
Based on rights issues and political persecution claims, there are many countries that may have given the latter ayslum.
But since Malaysia claims it cancelled Jho Low’s passport, one wonders which documents Mr Low is using for his business travels while evading the long arm of the law?
Aussie or Thailand passports?
Although his Malaysia and St Kitts and Nevis passports have been revoked, Low Taek Jho by his real name, may have other travel documents to help him avoid the law.
A news report dated Nov 2018 says Malaysian police believe Low has passports from Australia, New Zealand and Thailand.
A Malaysian who says he worked without a permit and visa in Australia in July exposed foreigners who are exploiting protection visas in the country.
He overstayed, spending more than a year working around Australia before returning home to his wife and children.
Nazuan Apis says he was offered a way to extend his stay while working at Robinvale, in north west Victoria in 2016, says an Aussie newspaper.
Aussie Protection Visa
Nazuan arrived in Australia on a three-month online tourist visa but picked up seasonal farm work when a Malaysian work agent offered him to take up a protection visa.
A protection visa allows foreigners to remain in Australia permanently so long as they arrived in the country on a valid visa but applicants must be refugees or meet the complementary protection criteria.
An Australian parliamentary committee recommends that electronic visa holders who lodged a protection visa application be “fast-tracked” and have limited rights to appeal.
Hiding in China?
Speaking of the success of the ‘Billion Dollar Whale’, the book that exposed Jho Low’s financial prowess and his powers of persuasion to siphon billions of US dollars from Malaysia’s 1MDB, author Tom Wright says he believes Jho Low is still hiding in China.
In a Linkedin post a week ago, he writes, “Billion Dollar Whale is out (today) in updated paperback in the U.S. and globally.
“New material throughout, including on Jho Low’s efforts to stop our book with the help of UK law firm Schillings; China’s efforts to turn Malaysia into a satellite state, and Beijing’s protection of Low (he’s still there!).”
What money can buy!
A spokesperson for Mr Low, through his attorneys, told Malaysiakini the fugitive was offered asylum in August this year “by a country that acts in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and European Convention on Human Rights.”
The spokesperson reportedly added that Low was also spending time in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries where he has “close relations with royal families”.
Malaysiakini quoted Singapore’s Straits Times and other sources for saying that Low was given asylum in August under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and European Convention on Human Rights.-/TISG