STATE investor 1Malaysia Development Bhd, under a new management, has laid claim to the Equanimity, said lawyer Sitpah Selvaratnam, in a departure from its former refusal to be linked to the yacht.

“1MDB claimed ownership of the Equanimity because they believe their money had been misappropriated and used to purchase the vessel,” Sitpah said after inspecting the yacht at Port Klang today.

Sitpah said 1MDB’s claim was based on the civil forfeiture suits filed by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) last year.

“The DOJ claim is a verified claim, verified against a penalty of perjury. It carries with it a lot of weight, and it is based on this allegation that the claim has been initiated. Of course, it will go to trial before the admiralty court.”

Sitpah and Jeremy Joseph are appointed by the Attorney-General’s Chambers to represent the investor and Putrajaya.

She said four plaintiffs – 1MDB group of companies, 1MDB and two of its subsidiaries – made the application for the warrant of arrest.

The defendants who claim they are the registered owners have the opportunity to go to court to defend and establish their ownership claim, she said.

Earlier today, Attorney-General Tommy Thomas said the Equanimity was seized under the laws of Malaysia.

He said the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) had invoked the Admiralty jurisdiction of the High Court of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur against the super yacht.

“And on August 6, 2018, the court issued a warrant of arrest against it. Accordingly, the Equanimity is properly seized under the laws of Malaysia,” Thomas said in a statement this afternoon.

Soon after it assumed power, the Pakatan Harapan government had replaced the 1MDB board members. The old management under CEO Arul Kanda Kandsamy had dismissed DOJ’s civil forfeiture suits. – August 7, 2018.