THE name Jho Low has been trending on Twitter after Malaysian authorities issued an arrest warrant against the billionaire businessman.

Low, whose full name is Low Taek Jho, 36, is accused of being the mastermind behind the siphoning of billions of ringgit out of the state investor 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

He was a known family friend, confidante and adviser of Najib Razak, who was prime minister until the May 9 polls.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday issued a statement with particulars of Jho Low, including his MyKad number and last known address in Tanjung Bungah, Penang. Authorities are also hunting three others connected with the scandal.

Some Twitter users have since posted news and pictures of Jho Low, asking others if they had seen him.

Social media users on Twitter and Facebook roundly had the same one-word reaction to the news: “Finally!”

“This is also a world record. The longest time taken to issue a warrant of arrest against an individual. LOL,” Leong SeeFoon wrote on Facebook.

Iza Sofia Kasbi also said it had been “a long time coming”. 

“The show’s finally rolling out its premier. We’re waiting y’all. Get your popcorn ready,” she commented on Facebook.

“Now we are getting somewhere!” Stephen Dass, another Facebook user said.

“So it is ‘mission find Jho Low’ who to most of us is the mastermind, as his signature was everywhere starting with 1MDB and its ‘anak-anak’ (subsidiaries)!

“Riza Aziz is another individual, after Jho Low. They better brief their lawyers,” he wrote.

Riza is Rosmah Mansor’s son and Najib’s stepson, as well as Low’s long-time friend. 

Riza has also been named by US investigators pursuing their biggest kleptocracy asset recovery initiative. US authorities claimed that 1MDB money was misused by Red Granite Pictures, which was co-founded by Riza, to finance three movies – “The Wolf of Wall Street”, “Daddy’s Home” and “Dumb and Dumber To”.

In March, Red Granite agreed to pay the US government US$60 million (RM240 million) to settle a civil lawsuit seeking to seize assets allegedly bought using 1MDB funds.

Facebook user Richard Wong commented: “Get Interpol help to trace them.”

But Yongjie Hwang said there was no need to look, as they just needed to ask Najib for the wanted men’s whereabouts.

“Seek no further, Najib knows where they are!”

After the MACC announcement, Low issued a statement saying that he had instructed his lawyers to get in touch with the anti-graft commission. He also promised his full cooperation.

Another Facebook user Zakaria Abu Bakar commented: “See guys…it is not so difficult to get that special guy Jho Low’s attention.

“This is the guy who from behind the scene had triggered the downfall of ‘parti keramat’ (Umno). So loved by parti keramat’s top leadership at the very least but extremely despised by most Malaysians.”

Twitter user RichardLi (@richardrichli) said looking from another angle, Malaysians should thank Jho Low.

“He helped to bring down the corrupt Umno-BN regime in one way or another,” he tweeted.

Some other Twitter users have started poking fun at Low, suggesting that he would cut a deal with the authorities.

Chaaaaaaaaaa who tweets with the handle @sydzlkfl remarked: “Plot twist: Jho Low is a double agent all along.”

Dude of KL (@_Acat_) tweeted: “Imagine if Jho Low flipped. Made a deal.”

Many felt there should be no mercy for Jho Low and he should be found, investigated and charged.

“Arrest warrant already been issued, now you cannot run or hide, go back to Malaysia and face the charges,” tweeted Morgan (@GEanalyst). – June 8, 2018.