A group of activists (above) calling themselves “Anak Muda Cari Jho Low” (AMCJL) announced today they will hold a rally titled ‘Perhimpunan Tangkap Pencuri” (Nab A Thief Rally) on April 14.

The rally will be held near the Sogo shopping centre in Kuala Lumpur at 2pm where they will gather before marching to Dataran Merdeka.

“AMCJL was formed because we want to help the global authorities track and arrest the most wanted man in the 1MDB scandal who is entrepreneur Jho Taek Low or Jho Low,” the group said in a statement read out at a press conference at a restaurant near Universiti Malaya today.

The rally is meant to pressure the BN government in view of the upcoming general election which must be held before August this year.

AMCJL, according to the statement, is a movement comprising youth groups, NGOs and political parties in Malaysia.

The group said they have organised nine road shows and forums in various states thus far and which have received a warm response from the rakyat.

They said the rally on April 14 would be the climax of their programme.

“The ‘Perhimpunan Tangkap Pencuri’ is a sign that the youth and all rakyat love Malaysia and want to save our country which is now facing a serious debt problem following the 1MDB scandal.

“That is why we call upon all Malaysians, NGOs and every group and individual who are sympathetic and supportive of our cause to join us for the ‘Perhimpunan Tangkap Pencuri,” they said.

Equanimity seized

Low has come under the spotlight again after the luxury mega-yacht Equanimity, which has been linked to him, was seized by Indonesian police in Bali earlier this month.

Through a spokesperson, Low reportedly said the seizure was without basis and politically-motivated.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak also said there was no proof that Low was the owner of Equanimity.

In 2016, Attorney-General Apandi Ali had cleared Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak of any wrongdoing concerning 1MDB, a sovereign wealth fund created by Najib in 2009.

Najib was also once the chairperson of 1MDB's advisory board and according to the company's constitution had a major say in company affairs.
major say

In recent years, Swiss and Singaporean authorities have taken punitive action against banks and bankers over alleged financial improprieties involving 1MDB funds.

Since 2016, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has been seizing assets - including jewellery and property - which were purportedly linked to 1MDB funds. The most recent known seizure involved the US$250 million mega-yacht Equanimity.

Red Granite Pictures, a company owned by Najib's stepson Reza Aziz, had paid US$60 million (RM230 million) to the US government as part of a substitute for the company's assets which were part of the seizure.

The DOJ has also claimed that approximately US$700 million in 1MDB-related funds were funnelled into the personal bank accounts of one "Malaysian Official 1".