This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on May 19, 2016.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian police will summon controversial businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low to facilitate investigations into troubled 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) “if necessary”, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

Low has yet to meet with the police over investigations pertaining to 1MDB.

“The police will call the named person if necessary for him to assist with investigations. So far, there is no meeting between him and the police,” Ahmad Zahid, who is also the home minister, said in a written reply to a parliamentary question by Bayan Baru member of parliament Sim Tze Tzin yesterday.

Sim had asked Ahmad Zahid on Low’s whereabouts and whether he had met the police over investigations surrounding 1MDB.

Ahmad Zahid said the police had through its Bukit Aman commercial crime department launched investigations into 1MDB. The investigations take into account recent findings by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on 1MDB, he added.

Ahmad Zahid said the police would summon witnesses to have their statements recorded if needed.

There have been probes reported in at least 10 countries related to 1MDB, or companies and individuals linked to it, on alleged financial irregularities and possible money laundering.

Later at a separate press conference, Sim urged the home ministry and the police to expedite investigations into Low due to his position as a key witness to the issues surrounding 1MDB.

He said the police inquiry into 1MDB is not a thorough investigation as Low has so far not been called in, questioning the efficiency of the investigation.

“The police are investigating 1MDB under Section 409 of the Penal Code (Criminal Breach of Trust), with investigations taking into consideration the findings of the PAC, which means that the key witnesses have to give their statements,” Sim said.

“The key witnesses involved [in the 1MDB issue] include former 1MDB chief executive officer Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi and Low. However, there has been no meeting between Low and the police as yet.

“I have asked whether he is in Malaysia or overseas, but I did not get an answer. This is shocking to me because 1MDB has been investigated by the PAC, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the police, but a key witness (Low) has not been called,” he said.

He added that Low should do his national service as a citizen of Malaysia, and has every duty to cooperate with the police. “The home ministry and the police must do their part to expedite investigations.”