NRD is probing Jho Low's 'dual citizenship'
Published on: Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Kuala Lumpur: The National Registration Department (NRD) has opened a file to investigate if Malaysian-born businessman Low Taek Jho (pic) holds dual citizenship, the Dewan Rakyat was told.The Home Ministry said no evidence was submitted with the complaint sent to the department to justify any action taken against Low under Article 24 of the Federal Constitution."Due to that, the NRD has started an application to validate the status with the country concerned, and will carry out further action in accordance with procedural rules as soon as evidence is obtained," it said.
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The Ministry was replying to Ng Wei Aik (DAP-Tanjong), who had asked about the status of the investigation and action taken based on complaints raised on June 21 last year on Low's dual citizenship.Ng had also asked about efforts to locate the businessman, who is better known as Jho Low.In June 2017, Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng asked the government to take action following the disclosure by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) that the Penang-born businessman was holding dual citizenship.According to the DoJ's third lawsuit regarding 1MDB, Low holds a Malaysian passport as well as a passport from the West Indies island of St Kitts and Nevis.
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This was revealed in a DoJ document which mentioned a letter with a Good Star letterhead dated on or about March 19, 2010, bearing a signature "similar to the one Low used on his Malaysian and St Kitts and Nevis passports".According to Reuters, Low is the sole owner and beneficiary of Seychelles-registered Good Star.
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Lim had said Malaysia did not recognise dual nationality under Article 24 (1) of the Federal Constitution.Under Article 24, the government can revoke the citizenship of anyone found to be holding dual nationality.Jho Low and the Prime Minister's stepson Riza Aziz have not also declared any income in the country, Second Finance Minister Johari Abdul Ghani said.Johari said because of this, the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) had not imposed any income tax on the duo."Their names are not on any income tax files as they did not declare any income in the country," he added.He was responding to Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut), who asked whether Low and Riza had paid any income tax and if their financial sources were ever investigated.Johari said he could not give an answer regarding any investigation against Low and Riza as the matter was outside his authority.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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