SEREMBAN, May 15, 2026 — Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim has firmly stated that Malaysia will not entertain any pardon application involving fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, citing ongoing court proceedings against him.
Speaking to reporters after officiating the National Youth Day 2026 celebration here today, Anwar said the issue does not arise for the Malaysian government as legal actions involving the individual are still active.
“Tiada isu, kita tidak akan mempertimbangkannya,” he said. (“There is no issue, we will not consider it.”)
Anwar added that he has not been informed of any pardon application submitted by Jho Low. When asked if Malaysia would formally object to any action by the United States regarding the matter, he replied that the government would not take that approach, describing any US decision as their own internal affair.
The remarks come in response to recent media reports that Jho Low, a central figure in the multi-billion-dollar 1MDB scandal, has filed a request for a US presidential pardon with President Donald Trump. The application, listed as “pardon after completion of sentence,” was submitted to the US Department of Justice this year and remains pending.
Jho Low faces charges in the US, Malaysia, and other jurisdictions related to the alleged siphoning of billions from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) sovereign wealth fund. He has been a fugitive since around 2016 and has consistently denied wrongdoing.
Malaysia’s 1MDB task force chairman, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, has also publicly opposed any pardon, urging the US to assist in locating Jho Low for further investigations instead.
Politician figures, including Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng, have called on the Prime Minister to formally register Malaysia’s opposition to the pardon bid through a direct letter to President Trump.
The 1MDB scandal remains a sensitive issue in Malaysia, with the government continuing efforts to recover stolen assets worldwide.
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