Ex-1MDB company secretary says she is not Jho Low’s aunt, court told

KUALA LUMPUR: A former company secretary of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MBD) told the High Court that she is not an aunt to fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low.

Goh Gaik Kim made the denial in a cross-examination conducted by defence lawyer Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed in the RM2.28bil 1MDB trial involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

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“I am not Jho Low’s aunt. I am not related to him,” Goh said here on Thursday (May 12).

Goh said she had only seen Low from afar during a lunch together with one of 1MDB’s directors and former chief operating officer, Radhi Mohamad.

Goh said, at the time, she did not know who Low was but Radhi recognised him (Low) and went over to him.

When asked whether she was informed by 1MDB management on Low’s role in 1MDB, Goh said she only found out from the news.

In June 2019, then finance minister Lim Guan Eng reportedly told a news outlet that Low was not a nephew of Goh, who is also the company secretary of TRX City Sdn Bhd.

This was following a claim from a news portal that alleged Goh’s family relationship with Low where it was alleged that Goh is the younger sister of Low’s mother, Puan Sri Goh Gaik Ewe.

It was also reported that Low had issued a separate statement through his lawyers to deny the alleged family ties.

Goh is testifying against Najib who is on trial for 25 charges in total – four for abuse of power that allegedly brought him financial benefit to the tune of RM2.28bil; and 21 for money laundering involving the same amount of money.

The hearing continues before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah today.