PUTRAJAYA (June 8): Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad confirmed today that Malaysia issued an arrest warrant for Low Taek Jho due to Low's alleged involvement in 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Dr Mahathir said this at a press conference here today after news reports, quoting sources, indicated that Malaysia issued an arrest warrant for Low, who is popularly known as Jho Low.

“We are trying to arrest Jho Low but he is not in the country, and we don’t have extradition rights at the country he is in,” Dr Mahathir said.

Dr Mahathir however did not pinpoint Low’s exact location. Dr Mahathir retorted that Low is in “many countries”, suggesting that Low, who is alleged to be behind 1MDB’s many dubious business transactions, is on the move. 

Bloomberg, quoting people with knowledge of the matter, reported that Malaysian authorities conducting a probe into troubled state investment fund 1MDB have issued an arrest warrant for Low and are preparing warrants for two others, including a former Goldman Sachs Group Inc banker.

"The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has also issued an arrest warrant for Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, a former official at a 1Malaysia Development Bhd unit, according to one of the people. The agency is preparing warrants for the fund's ex-chief, Shahrol Halmi, and Roger Ng, a former Goldman Sachs banker focused on Malaysia who left the firm in 2014, the people said," Bloomberg reported.

"The four individuals haven't been charged with any wrongdoing, and it isn't clear what suspicions underpin the warrants. Their representatives declined to comment or weren't immediately reachable. A representative for the MACC declined to comment," said Bloomberg.

At the press conference today, Dr Mahathir, however, did not confirm whether Malaysia has issued arrest warrants for Nik Faisal, Shahrol and Ng.

Yesterday, the MACC requested Low and Nik Faisal to contact the MACC immediately to assist the agency in its SRC International Sdn Bhd investigations.

In response to the MACC's request, Low's spokesperson said yesterday that Low had "immediately instructed his lawyers to make contact with the MACC today (yesterday) with respect to offering such assistance.”