FORMER prime minister Najib Razak dismissed a media report claiming that he had been travelling to China to meet Penang-born businessman Low Taek Jho.  

“No” was Najib’s only answer to reporters at the Parliament lobby when asked whether he had been flying to China to meet Low.

Earlier today, the Wall Street Journal published a report quoting an anonymous former Malaysian official, who worked in the prime minister’s office, saying that Najib had met Low, also known as Jho Low, in May last year.

“In May 2017, Low met Najib on the sidelines of a Belt and Road forum in Beijing to discuss infrastructure projects involving China, according to the former Malaysian official who worked in the Prime Minister’s Office.

“The official said Najib would regularly travel to China at the time to meet Low, who held no official government position,” Wall Street Journal reported.

Low is known to be Najib’s confidant and business adviser.

An arrest warrant has been issued for the financier by Malaysian authorities conducting a probe into troubled state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

The US Department of Justice has accused Low of masterminding the 1MDB scandal.

Although he never held an official position in 1MDB, Low is said to be among the beneficiaries of the funds used to purchase luxury properties and assets, including a super yacht, paintings and jewellery.

On July 4, Najib was charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust and misusing his position.

He was charged with misusing his position as a government official to receive a RM42 million bribe as inducement to provide a sovereign guarantee on behalf of the Malaysian government for a RM4 billion loan from Retirement Fund Inc to SRC International Sdn Bhd.

The former leader, who fell from power after Barisan Nasional lost the May 9 general election, also faces three counts of criminal breach of trust in his capacity as prime minister, finance minister, and SRC International adviser emeritus.

SRC International was formerly a subsidiary of 1MDB, the brainchild of Najib, before it was absorbed – along with its debts – by the Finance Ministry. – August 1, 2018.