Statements to the Media

Statement regarding Recent Books on 1mdb – 17 September 2018

Billion Dollar Whale is one of three recently and hastily published books, with the authors attempting to write ‘instant history,’ without the benefit of evidence and before the issues have even begun to be resolved.

As reviewers and commentators from the Financial Times and Australian Financial Review, among others, have pointed out, this particular book is mostly about transactions undertaken by global financial institutions, sovereign wealth funds and the managers of 1MDB – all of whom were experienced in such transactions and knew exactly what they were doing.

In fact, Mr. Low seems to disappear from the narrative when any of the alleged fraud occurs, only to then be accused – without any evidence – of having been responsible for it.

But, as The Financial Times noted, that sort of tale doesn’t sell books or get the authors a movie deal. Thus, this book is written with allegations disguised as fact and gossip passed off as legitimate reporting. The narrative is framed to allow the authors to write about celebrities, and models and parties, without ever proving any of the allegations.

Rather than wait for the full facts surrounding this case to emerge, the authors chose to publish their tale while there are ongoing and unresolved proceedings in the US, and before a single piece of evidence has been produced before any court.

Billion Dollar Whale is guilt-by-lifestyle, and trial-by-media at its worst. We simply ask that the audience bears this in mind if they choose to read this, or any of these books.