Malaysia 1MDB scandal: is Jho Low hiding in China? It depends on whom you ask
South China Morning PostMay 12, 2023
The Facts
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has confirmed that white-collar criminal Jho Low is believed to be hiding in Macau, the first assurance of his whereabouts since leaving Malaysia in 2016.
Low allegedly orchestrated the theft of billions from the sovereign wealth fund 1MDB, for which he was charged in absentia in 2018, and is the subject of an Interpol investigation involving financial crimes in several nations around the world.
The Spin
Pro-China narrative
There are many reasons to be skeptical of new reporting that implicates China in the 1MDB scandal. There is little discernable reason why China would harbor an international criminal, and for Malaysia to downplay any Chinese obstructionism. We will have to wait for more details to emerge before making China even partially culpable.
Anti-China narrative
The reporting on this matter is as close to airtight as one can get in these matters, as numerous trusted sources have affirmed what Al Jazeera has revealed. China is granting Low an exceptional amount of protection despite all the evidence provided. This likely shows Beijing is more involved in this scheme than simply harboring an independent criminal actor.