KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 — Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein should provide updates on his offer to find Low Taek Jho, DAP’s Lim Kit Siang said when noting the charges against the fugitive financier yesterday for defrauding Malaysia of US$1.03 billion (RM4.28 billion).

The Iskandar Puteri MP recalled that the former Umno vice-president offered to tap his old connections for the bid to locate Low or Jho Low and bring him back to Malaysia to stand trial over the various charges.

"Firstly, what has happened to former defence minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein’s self-appointed role and offer to bring Jho Low back to Malaysia to ‘face justice’?

"Does this mean that Hishammuddin has tried but failed or he has not tried at all?” Lim said in a statement today.

The DAP politician also said that Low appeared to be speaking on behalf of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and asked if any Malaysian politicians were still in contact with Low and advising the fugitive financier on how to respond.

He then challenged Najib and the latter’s former Cabinet members to say if they agreed with Low’s assessment that it was not possible to obtain a fair trial in Malaysia.

Low was charged in absentia with four others yesterday with allegedly defrauding the country of US$1.17 billion via transactions from 1MDB.

Yesterday, Low rejected the new charges and arrest warrant issued against him by claiming that Malaysian authorities were politically motivated in their pursuit of him.

The police have sought Interpol’s aid to arrest Low and his father, Tan Sri Larry Low, but the whereabouts of both men remain unknown.

Low has already had all his known passports cancelled but it is unclear if he still possesses other travel documents that allow him to continue moving freely and incognito.