KUALA LUMPUR – A prominent Malaysian hotelier has filed several police reports claiming he has become a victim of extortion and intimidation by his former business partner.
The 48-year-old businessman lodged the latest reports at the Travers police station on Tuesday and yesterday (December 6 and 7), after the former associate made repeated demands for money.
The man, who runs several luxury hotels in the country and abroad, also filed a police report against his 59-year-old former partner, who is also a Malaysian, in late October.
The hotel chain founder also went to the Travers station on November 30 to record a full police statement after providing documents related to the case.
“At this juncture, the Criminal (Investigations) Department finds that there is evidence of extortion of money, threats that affect my safety and well-being, and also of my family,” the hotelier said in the reports sighted by The Vibes.
The hotelier also said the following day, on December 1, he had received messages and online articles about himself and another British partner that claimed they were on Indonesian police’s wanted list in Bali, where they used to run a hotel.
The businessman said the former partner had been tarnishing his name in the media, forcing him to file the latest police report.
The hotelier said he was accused of stealing billions in rupiah in the media, which he rubbished as “malicious” and “not true”.
Meanwhile, a report by a news site based in Bali said that police in the resort destination had issued an arrest warrant for the hotelier and a British partner over the alleged embezzlement of IDR100 billion (RM28 million) after a local man had filed a police report against them there.
The British citizen, who is currently working in Malaysia, also filed a police report on Tuesday, saying he had received pictures and messages which he deemed as threats.
The British man, in the report, also claimed that three of his former staff members in a hotel in Seminyak, Bali, were forced to write a police statement handed to the 59-year-old Malaysian, which was then given to Bali police.
He also said that, lately, he has been subjected to several defamatory statements that were published on social media in relation to the dispute.
In the latest report filed yesterday, the hotelier also raised concerns that the alleged extortionist had ties to Malaysian fugitive tycoon and MBI Group founder Tedy Teow Wooi Huat.
On Sunday, Thai police said Teow was expected to be deported to China before the end of the month.
Though Malaysian police had also requested for Teow’s repatriation, Thai assistant national police chief Surachate Hakparn said “there is no arrest warrant issued against Teow in Malaysia”, Bernama reported.
He said Thai police had received an extradition request from the Chinese government.
The 55-year-old Penang-born entrepreneur – dubbed Jho Low 2, in reference to another Malaysian fugitive businessman, Low Taek Jho, infamous for his links to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal – is on the Interpol red notice list for questioning.
Last year, police said Teow and his two sons were involved in Macau scams that caused RM336 million in losses.
However, police believed Teow had fled the country and was hiding in Dannok, Sadao, South Thailand.
Travers police have confirmed receiving the reports but declined to comment as it is an on-going investigation. – The Vibes, December 8, 2022
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