By Rahmat Khairulrijal | New Straits Times
Former 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) general counsel Jasmine Loo Ai Swan, who recently surrendered to police, will reveal the facts and circumstances surrounding her years away from Malaysia “when appropriate”.
Loo’s lawyers, Amer Hamzah and Edmund Bon Tai Soon, said their client would give her full cooperation to expedite investigations into the misappropriation of millions of funds belonging to 1MDB.
They said she has absolute trust and confidence in the Malaysian judicial and legal system.
“Our client recently surrendered herself to the Malaysian authorities and was arrested and remanded by police.
“Her priority is to cooperate with the relevant law enforcement agencies in their ongoing 1MDB investigations, and to facilitate and assist the Malaysian government in expediting its asset recovery efforts.
“She seeks privacy and space to do what is necessary at this time,” the lawyers said in a joint press statement.
The lawyers said Loo had always treated Malaysia as her home.
“She also looks forward to reuniting with her family as soon as possible,” they added.
Yesterday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, at a special press conference, had said police remanded the lawyer, a close associated of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, at their Dang Wangi headquarters.
“She was arrested on Friday, and police obtained a remand order on Saturday.
“She was arrested under section 409 of the Penal Code for criminal breach of trust,” he had said.
Loo’s name has been heavily mentioned during Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s ongoing corruption trial for allegedly misappropriating RM2.3 billion from 1MDB.
It was reported that Loo was among the proxies working with fugitive businessman Low to misappropriate millions of ringgit from the sovereign state fund.
Loo, who also became a fugitive after the fall of the Barisan Nasional-led government during the 14th General Election in 2018, was also listed as a wanted person.
In 2018, Low, alongside four others linked to the scandal — Loo, Terence Geh, Casey Tang Keng Chee and Eric Tan Kim Loong — were charged in absentia at the Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur magistrate’s courts over money-laundering cases linked to the 1MDB scandal.
Loo was charged with two counts of laundering more than US$6 million received in a Swiss account she controlled on Dec 6, 2012 and July 1, 2014.
This is believed to be a portion of the funds diverted from the first two 1MDB bond offerings underwritten by Goldman Sachs.
On Jan 20, the High Court allowed the government and a bank to forfeit one property, two luxury vehicles, and RM22,600 in cash belonging to Loo.
The forfeiture application was filed in November 2021 under section 56 of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds of Unlawful Activity Act 2001.
