KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Equanimity, a luxury yacht linked to Malaysian state fund 1MDB, arrived at Port Klang on Tuesday as the Malaysian government is weighing options to deal with the 250-million-U.S. dollar super yacht.
Malaysian Attorney General Tommy Thomas confirmed the arrival of the boat in a statement, saying the yacht was purchased with money belonging to Malaysia and thus was properly seized under the laws of Malaysia.
The yacht was reportedly seized by the Indonesian government in Bali in February on the application of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), which is probing a multi-billion dollar misappropriation scandal surrounding 1MDB. Upon the return of the boat, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad thanked Indonesian President Joko Widodo for the gesture.
Low Taek Jho, a key figure in the 1MDB case, is identified as the owner of the boat which is registered in Caman Islands, according to ship tracking information. Malaysia has issued an arrest warrant for Low, but his whereabouts are known.
In the statement, Tommy Thomas said the arrival of the yacht was a result of "sensitive and delicate negotiations" conducted at the highest level of different agencies among Indonesia, Malaysia and the United States, thanks to the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties.
"Among our agencies involved were the Royal Malaysian Police, the Royal Malaysian Navy, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Attorney General's Chambers, " he said.
It is not yet known what the Malaysian government will do with the yacht, but Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng told reporters on Monday that the public should have a chance to view it before it is put on auction. "There are a lot of valuable items inside," he said, adding the government wants to "claw back as much money as we can" from the boat.
