Jho Low was ‘master manipulator’ in 1MDB scandal, court hears at disgraced Najib Razak’s corruption trial

Aide of former Malaysian leader Najib backs accusations that Low was ‘puppet master’ in multibillion-dollar theft from sovereign wealth fund

Low, who has maintained his innocence, ‘was able to persuade people high or low to get what he wants’, Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin says

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Fugitive financier Low Taek Jho. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 8:00am, 6 Sep 2019Updated: 5:58pm, 17 Dec 2019

Malaysia’s disgraced ex-prime minister Najib Razak’s corruption trial has thrown up major new details about the alleged “puppet master” role fugitive financier Low Taek Jho played in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal which saw billions of dollars siphoned from the sovereign wealth fund.

In court proceedings on Thursday, the ousted leader’s former special officer Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin agreed with the “puppet master” accusation against Low, popularly known as Jho Low, when cross-examined by Najib’s lawyer Shafee Abdullah.

“In a very overwhelming way, he is able to persuade people in various positions, whether high or low, involving domestic and international people, to get what he wants, to the point that most of the time we don’t even know who these people are,” he said during cross-examination.

Amhari had also described the portly money-man as a “master manipulator” in his witness statement.

Malaysia’s disgraced ex-prime minister Najib Razak. Photo: Reuters

Amhari revealed that Low had given him US$200,000 as a loan for a home purchase in 2010.