Anwar: US pardon won’t get Jho Low off the hook in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has maintained that Malaysia will not alter its position on fugitive financier Jho Low, regardless of whether the US government grants him a presidential pardon.

Speaking to reporters after Friday prayers at Masjid As-Sodiqin in Cheras, Anwar decoupled Malaysia’s legal stance from any potential clemency in the US, NST reported.

“That is a decision for the US,” Anwar said, referring to the alleged mastermind of the multibillion-dollar 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.

“But our position is not affected by any decision in the US.”

This steadfastness follows previous assurances from the Prime Minister that the Malaysian government is not considering any pardon for Low.

The speculation comes amid reports from The Atlantic that Low may be among those considered for clemency by US President Donald Trump, coinciding with the United States’ 250th Independence Day celebrations.

Further reports from The Wall Street Journal indicate that Low filed a pardon request in May seeking the dismissal of his US criminal charges. While the US Department of Justice website lists a pending request for a “Pardon after Completion of Sentence,” a White House official has reportedly stated that the request is not currently on its radar.

Low remains a fugitive, with his whereabouts unknown, though he continues to deny any wrongdoing. He faces multiple corruption and money laundering charges in both the US and Malaysia.

The 1MDB fund, established by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in 2009, became the centre of a global scandal involving the misappropriation of over US$4.2 billion between 2009 and 2015.

While Najib has been convicted in several cases and is currently serving a prison sentence, his legal team has consistently maintained that Low was the true mastermind behind the scheme.