Photos show Najib, Rosmah , conducted 1MDB business with PetroSaudi on their own, without 1MDB management, or board present
The Wall Street Journal has reported that "the U.S. is preparing to charge financier Jho Low in Malaysian 1MDB Scandal ".
Part of the WSJ story includes this paragraph.
Weathering the Storm
Jho Low, a Malaysian financier suspected of playing a key role in an alleged looting of state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd., or 1MDB, sent friends this New Year's greeting.
“2016 was the Perfect Storm; but the calmness and resolve
of our Captain, led his loyal Sailors whom placed their lives
with utmost trust in his leadership weathered the storm...”
“When the wind could not blow away their joint resilience,
the storm eventually passed, and the Captain simply adjusted
their sails effortlessly and continued their destined journey...”
“The men and women that came out of the storm were not
the same men that walk in. Through struggle, they established
new strengths they never knew they collectively had...”
“The very moment they were brought to their knees, and
their world was about to fall apart; their Captain’s exemplary
leadership guided them to safety; and through this experience,
they achieve a new level of humility, nobility and higher
intelligence ready to set sail for greater achievements
in 2017 for their people!”
Given the DOJ civil action in which Najib is obviously referred to as MO1, it is hard to see who else Jho Low might be referring to when he refers to "our Captain".
Readers are reminded that when the 1MDB theft was first revealed, Jho Low was reported to have said:
“There are all these guys with their arrows out on me. There seems to be a very, very coordinated attempt to say: ‘This young Chinaman, it’s all his fault, he caused the failure of 1MDB and apparently he advised the PM and everything is screwed up now’.....All these guys go round and round and I say: ‘Guys, it’s very simple, there’s a board, who is the shareholder’? ”
“Are you telling me that the ministry, the Finance Minister, who is the Prime Minister — and there are only two to three people in the Finance Ministry that sign off on shareholder resolutions under law — that they just signed without evaluating it?”
The fact that the SMS was sent to a number of people with a simple reference to the "Captain" without further elaboration suggests that the fact of Najib's captaincy is well known to a not small number.
What is surprising, actually disturbing, is the tone of the SMS,which suggests that the 1MDB theft is actually part of an ongoing scheme which the thieves (or more accurately pirates) consider a legitimate financial transaction.
END
Reference
UMNO Youth spinmasters making me 1MDB scapegoat, says Jho Low
KUALA LUMPUR — Businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, has made a stout defence of his role in 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), saying in an interview with business monthly Euromoney that the attacks against him are “crazy” and “ridiculous”.
April 15
KUALA LUMPUR — Businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, has made a stout defence of his role in 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), saying in an interview with business monthly Euromoney that the attacks against him are “crazy” and “ridiculous”.
The Hong Kong-based Mr Low, 33, told the magazine in its April edition: “There are so many other people who get away with ridiculous billions and billions worth of projects. But every single time there seems to be a political attack, wow, suddenly Jho is there again.”
In the interview conducted last month in Hong Kong, republished from Euromoney yesterday in Malaysia’s The Edge Financial Daily, Mr Low said he decided to speak out because the 1MDB issue had become ridiculous.
“There are all these guys with their arrows out on me. There seems to be a very, very coordinated attempt to say: ‘This young Chinaman, it’s all his fault, he caused the failure of 1MDB and apparently he advised the PM and everything is screwed up now’,” he was quoted as saying.
The wholly owned Finance Ministry investment vehicle, established in 2009, has recently come under fire for the firm’s allegedly opaque investment decisions and for amassing a reported RM42 billion (S$15.5 billion) debt pile.
The controversy centres on allegations that Mr Low diverted US$700 million (S$951 million) from 1MDB.
In the same interview, Mr Low also blamed the youth wing of the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party for making him a scapegoat, and called UMNO leaders a bunch of “spinmasters”.
“All these guys go round and round and I say: ‘Guys, it’s very simple, there’s a board, who is the shareholder’? ”
“Are you telling me that the ministry, the Finance Minister, who is the Prime Minister — and there are only two to three people in the Finance Ministry that sign off on shareholder resolutions under law — that they just signed without evaluating it?”
Mr Low’s comments drew sharp rebuke from UMNO Youth Exco member Ibdillah Ishak, who said that Mr Low should not have accused UMNO of misrepresenting issues concerning the state investment vehicle.
“There is no need to defame UMNO leaders when you are facing such huge problems,” Mr Ibdillah said.
“It is as if he wants to get himself off the hook.”
Echoing UMNO Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who said Mr Low must be investigated over his role in 1MDB, Mr Ibdillah urged Prime Minister Najib Razak to expedite the probe on 1MDB and expand this to include Mr Low.
“We cannot wait any longer, this is a public matter ... If any individual is found to have committed a breach of trust, misappropriated public funds and more, they must be punished,” he added.
Mr Low also suggested his high-profile lifestyle was to blame for attacks against him.
“Because there are all these pictures of me and Paris Hilton drinking, then you play to the Bumiputera card, ‘Oh, the Chinaman stole all the money and blew it all on alcohol’.”
He added he did not fear arrest on his return to Malaysia, saying his biggest concern was that documents could be fabricated although he acknowledged he had no proof of such acts.
According to Euromoney, much of the speculation around Mr Low’s involvement in 1MDB relates to his role in its predecessor, the Terengganu Investment Authority, the state fund he devised with the state’s royals that was later taken over by the federal government.
Mr Low also insisted his links to 1MDB were either vicarious through the Middle Eastern investors he advises or informal in the form of casual consultations by the firm’s employees.
Mr Najib, who is chairman of 1MDB’s advisory board, last month ordered the Auditor-General and Public Accounts Committee to investigate 1MDB.
The move did not appease former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is critical of 1MDB and Mr Low’s alleged involvement with the firm. Dr Mahathir has launched high-profile criticism of Mr Najib and his administration over the issue.
The Hong Kong-based Mr Low, 33, told the magazine in its April edition: “There are so many other people who get away with ridiculous billions and billions worth of projects. But every single time there seems to be a political attack, wow, suddenly Jho is there again.”
In the interview conducted last month in Hong Kong, republished from Euromoney yesterday in Malaysia’s The Edge Financial Daily, Mr Low said he decided to speak out because the 1MDB issue had become ridiculous.
“There are all these guys with their arrows out on me. There seems to be a very, very coordinated attempt to say: ‘This young Chinaman, it’s all his fault, he caused the failure of 1MDB and apparently he advised the PM and everything is screwed up now’,” he was quoted as saying.
The wholly owned Finance Ministry investment vehicle, established in 2009, has recently come under fire for the firm’s allegedly opaque investment decisions and for amassing a reported RM42 billion (S$15.5 billion) debt pile.
The controversy centres on allegations that Mr Low diverted US$700 million (S$951 million) from 1MDB.
In the same interview, Mr Low also blamed the youth wing of the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party for making him a scapegoat, and called UMNO leaders a bunch of “spinmasters”.
“All these guys go round and round and I say: ‘Guys, it’s very simple, there’s a board, who is the shareholder’? ”
“Are you telling me that the ministry, the Finance Minister, who is the Prime Minister — and there are only two to three people in the Finance Ministry that sign off on shareholder resolutions under law — that they just signed without evaluating it?”
Mr Low’s comments drew sharp rebuke from UMNO Youth Exco member Ibdillah Ishak, who said that Mr Low should not have accused UMNO of misrepresenting issues concerning the state investment vehicle.
“There is no need to defame UMNO leaders when you are facing such huge problems,” Mr Ibdillah said.
“It is as if he wants to get himself off the hook.”
Echoing UMNO Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who said Mr Low must be investigated over his role in 1MDB, Mr Ibdillah urged Prime Minister Najib Razak to expedite the probe on 1MDB and expand this to include Mr Low.
“We cannot wait any longer, this is a public matter ... If any individual is found to have committed a breach of trust, misappropriated public funds and more, they must be punished,” he added.
Mr Low also suggested his high-profile lifestyle was to blame for attacks against him.
“Because there are all these pictures of me and Paris Hilton drinking, then you play to the Bumiputera card, ‘Oh, the Chinaman stole all the money and blew it all on alcohol’.”
He added he did not fear arrest on his return to Malaysia, saying his biggest concern was that documents could be fabricated although he acknowledged he had no proof of such acts.
According to Euromoney, much of the speculation around Mr Low’s involvement in 1MDB relates to his role in its predecessor, the Terengganu Investment Authority, the state fund he devised with the state’s royals that was later taken over by the federal government.
Mr Low also insisted his links to 1MDB were either vicarious through the Middle Eastern investors he advises or informal in the form of casual consultations by the firm’s employees.
Mr Najib, who is chairman of 1MDB’s advisory board, last month ordered the Auditor-General and Public Accounts Committee to investigate 1MDB.
The move did not appease former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is critical of 1MDB and Mr Low’s alleged involvement with the firm. Dr Mahathir has launched high-profile criticism of Mr Najib and his administration over the issue.
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