Usahawan pelarian Jho Low pada Rabu membidas tindakan kerajaan Malaysia atas dakwaan dengan 'sengaja' menjual kapal mewah Equanimity pada harga rendah.

Dalam satu kenyataan, Jho Low atau nama sebenarnya, Low Taek Jho berkata, kualiti Equanimity yang dirampas di perairan Indonesia pada Ogos 2018 lalu sebelum diletakkan di Pelabuhan Klang, mampu dipertahankan untuk mengelakkan daripada dijual secara terdesak.

Dalam masa sama, beliau berkata, penyusutan harga Equanimity disebabkan oleh kos penyelenggaraan kapal menelan belanja RM14.3 juta.

Equanimity dijual kepada Genting Malaysia Bhd, atau syarikat ‘special purpose vehicle’ (SPV) milik Genting, pada harga AS$126 juta (RM514 juta).

Peguam Negara, Tommy Thomas berkata, penjualan kapal itu dibuat selepas Mahkamah Admiralti Kuala Lumpur hari ini memberi kelulusan untuk menerima tawaran membeli Equanimity daripada Genting atas Terma-terma dan Syarat-syarat Syerif.

BACA: Equanimity: Harga ditawar Genting terbaik - Guan Eng

BACA: 'Kami beli kapal Equanimity RM514.6 juta' - Genting Malaysia


Berikut ialah kenyataan Jho Low:

Equanimity is owned by Equanimity (Cayman) Ltd., but given the fact that Mr Low is inevitably drawn into the media coverage over the yacht’s mishandling by the Malaysian Government, he issues the following statement through his lawyers:

The bargain-basement sale price accepted by the Mahathir Government for the yacht Equanimity is the final chapter in yet another tale of the regime’s incompetence and disregard for the rule of law.

Let us be clear, had the Mahathir Government not illegally seized the Equanimity from Indonesia and docked it in a hazardous environment at Port Klang, the vessel would have maintained its value and avoided a fire sale.

Proceeds from the sale have been further eroded by expenditure on the vessel’s upkeep – reportedly some US$3.5 million (RM14.3 million).

It took the Mahathir Government twice as long as they promised to sell the yacht, the auction flopped and the ‘transparent’ sales process the Mahathir Government committed to at the outset has been subject to multiple abrupt changes – largely forced on the Government through their own incompetence.

The Mahathir Government has shown that they are prepared to trash the value of the Equanimity in a misguided attack on their political opponents.

No wonder recent by-election results demonstrate a growing concern from the Malaysian people.

As we have stated from the beginning, this is a failed PR stunt, which arrogantly ignored court rulings in Indonesia as well as established legal proceedings in the US.