THE RM1 billion Equanimity yacht, which was seized in Bali last week, has yet to be handed over to US authorities, said Indonesian news agency Antara.

The luxury vessel, said to be owned by billionaire financier Low Taek Jho, was seized by Indonesian police on the request of the US Department of Justice, which is launching criminal proceedings against 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

Low, better known as Jho Low, is a central figure in the DoJ’s investigations into criminal wrongdoing.

Bali police chief Inspector-General Petrus R. Golose was quoted as saying by Antara that the yacht was currently impounded as Indonesian authorities conducted criminal investigations into the crew and the vessel’s captain.

“The case of the foreign ship is still being investigated, and we have yet to hand the vessel over to the US attorney because it’s still under investigation.”

He said the probe involved several countries, therefore, it would take some time before it could be concluded.

The news agency also reported that the vessel had remained at the Benoa port since its seizure on February 28.

Earlier reports had said Indonesian police, along with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, were trying to implicate the captain of the vessel, South African national Rolf Sieboldt-Berry, on charges of trying to evade seizure by US authorities.

However, Sieboldt-Berry’s lawyer was reported to have said the captain was only aware that the vessel was owned by a company based in the Cayman Islands.

The US claims that the US$250 million Equanimity, along with other assets worth billions of dollars, had been purchased with funds allegedly stolen from 1MDB.

Putrajaya has insisted that there is no proof that Low owned the yacht, or that it was purchased with misappropriated funds.

However, Low, who is said to have close links to Prime Minister Najib Razak, had issued a statement immediately after the seizure, slamming the DoJ for “global overreach” and claiming he was a victim of political persecution. – March 6, 2018.