The probe into a flagship chip-design deal has sparked criticism, with Prime Minister Anwar’s allies questioning the investigation
3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenIman Muttaqin YusofPublished: 12:34pm, 5 Mar 2026Malaysia’s anti-corruption investigation into a flagship chip-design deal with Britain’s Arm Holdings took a more combustible turn on Thursday after a former government aide declared: “I am not Jho Low 2.0.”The remark – invoking the fugitive financier at the centre of Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal – came as the country’s anti-corruption agency pushed back against his claims and allies of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim warned the investigation risked appearing heavy handed.The dispute has dragged one of Putrajaya’s most ambitious technology bets into a widening political fight, even as Malaysia tries to position itself higher up the global semiconductor value chain.AdvertisementThe agreement with Arm, signed a year ago, was promoted as a cornerstone of the country’s effort to move beyond chip assembly and testing into higher-value design work.
