KUALA LUMPUR — Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak said on Thursday (Nov 22) he was cheated by Low Taek Jho, the fugitive financier who allegedly masterminded the diversion of funds from 1Malaysian Development Bhd (1MDB).

Najib said available evidence now showed that money had been siphoned from the state investment firm, which was supposed to raise funds for development projects in Malaysia.

“That’s how it looks like, concluding from the evidence available today,” he told Malay daily Sinar Harian in a live interview broadcast on Facebook on Thursday morning.

Low is facing charges in a multibillion-dollar scandal that has rocked politics in Asia and shaken a premier Wall Street bank, Goldman Sachs.

He was charged by Malaysia in absentia for money-laundering and was also recently indicted by the United States Department of Justice for conspiring to steal millions of ringgit from 1MDB.

Najib himself is 38 charges related to 1MDB and a former subsidiary.

Both men have denied all allegations of wrongdoing.

The whereabouts of Low remains unknown after Malaysian Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said the fugitive businessman was not in China, as speculated.

Banking giant Goldman meanwhile has come under heavy scrutiny after convicted ex-banker Tim Leissner and another former banker, Roger Ng, were indicted on criminal charges in the United States.

Details from the US Justice Department’s investigation suggest that the bank was complicit in Low’s efforts to defraud the Malaysian investment firm.

Najib on Thursday insisted that that his relationship with Low was strictly professional and was forged with the country’s economic interests in mind even as he continues to be flamed for the alleged theft of  1MDB funds.

Instead, he blamed Goldman for failing to safeguard Malaysia’s interests by not alerting his administration of Low’s efforts to defraud the Malaysian investment firm.

“My relationship with Jho Low was professional, I saw that he could bring in investment opportunities. If he did anything wrong, any breach of trust, action must be taken against him,” he said.

“Goldman Sachs was appointed, they were responsible to safeguard Malaysia’s interests, if they failed, how was I to know?” he added, referring to embezzlement of 1MDB funds.

“The investment bank, auditors, lawyers did not play the role they were supposed to play.”

Najib also explained that he originally saw Low as a potential link to the Saudi government and the Middle East, and that the latter had a track record in securing deals.

“What he did personally, I did not know, I only found out later. I was not involved, I did not know at all,” he said.

Despite the litany of charges against him, Najib said he managed to remain calm and in good spirits because he is confident that he will be exonerated.

“I can conclude that it is because I am being brave for the truth, I have confidence in my truth, insyaAllah I will prove it in court when the time comes,” Najib said in response.

He said he is confident of clearing his name, and urged everyone to view him as innocent until proven otherwise.

“There are some charges which do not make sense, but it is the right of the government to make those charges, all I am asking for is for them to be fair.

“As a Malaysian, I deserve a fair defence in a fair court. It should not be based on the court of public opinion,” Najib added. AGENCIES