THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is seeking to bring home eight people, including fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, who are abroad to assist in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) investigation, Utusan Malaysia reports.

The daily said this was being done through negotiations with several countries where they are believed to be hiding.

Apart from Low, it is understood that the former chief executive officer of SRC Sdn Bhd Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, 1MDB lawyer Jasmine Loo and former 1MDB executive director Casey Tang Keng Chee are those on the list.

Confirming to Utusan Malaysia, a source said based on initial information, these eight were believed to be “hiding” in Macau, China and Thailand, but authorities are still tracing where the fugitives are currently.

“The task is complicated because the individuals often change their hiding place to avoid being detected by the authorities.

“Aside from Low, there are seven to eight individuals currently under MACC’s watch. In fact, negotiations have also been done with the countries involved.

“Initially, all the individuals were said to be in the country involved, but they later split up and moved to some unknown locations,” said the source.

In a separate development on a businessman brought back to Malaysia after leaving this country five years ago, the source said the man is believed to have lived in Macau throughout his “running” period.

The source said as a result of a raid at the man’s house on May 3, approximately RM30 million including assets and accounts linked to 1MDB obtained by the businessman were frozen.

“MACC is exploring various angles in their probe, to trace the financial transactions linked to 1MDB funds,” he said.

On May 5, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed the government’s commitment to bring Low home immediately, with talks ongoing.

“We have never confirmed where he is, but we are negotiating with countries to speed up the process,” Anwar said.

When asked where Low was, Anwar refused to name the country involved, but still expressed the government’s willingness to bring the businessman home.

“This is because it is quite complicated (negotiations) involving several countries, intelligence units and international police,” he said.

On April 20, Bradley Hope, co-author of the book “Billion Dollar Whale”, which tells the story of 1MDB, quoted a source as saying the Malaysian government is believed to have negotiated with China regarding Low’s extradition.

Hope said such a plan was being discussed in the government following Anwar’s previous visit to the republic.

In the meantime, MACC also confirmed a former 1MDB official was handed a notice of order to appear at Putrajaya’s MACC headquarters at 10am on May 3.

This was after the anti-graft agency brought him back for further investigation in relation to the embezzlement of 1MDB and SRC International funds. – May 8, 2023.