“There is still a lot of money that we have lost. What we have recovered is not a lot, less than RM2 billion,” Mahathir told reporters at his office today.

“The money he stole from 1MDB alone is RM42 billion, so who has got the money? Who kept the money? Where is the money?” he asked.

Low, better known as Jho Low, is the alleged mastermind behind the multi-billion dollar theft from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

He is believed to be in an island near Macau.

Mahathir was asked if there was still a need to look for the fugitive financier following the recovery of money from the sale of assets that were bought using 1MDB funds.

His remarks come days after US said they would return about US$200 million (RM829.7 million) of funds allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB to Malaysia.

The total includes about US$140 million from the sale of a stake in New York’s Park Lane Hotel and some US$60 million from a settlement paid by the producer of the movie “Wolf of Wall Street”.