KUALA LUMPUR: The death of Kee Kok Thiam – a close associate of fugitive financier Low Taek Jho – was due to a stroke, his lawyers say.
This is according to Valen, Oh and Partners – the firm representing Kee, who had been arrested in early May and subsequently released by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
“We urge all parties not to entertain any speculation on this unfortunate event and allow the family the space to grieve his passing,” the firm said in a statement yesterday.
Meanwhile, MACC sources said that investigations were still ongoing.
“The MACC has tracked down US$5mil (RM23.1mil) in 1MDB assets and cash in Singapore.
“Investigations are still ongoing to retrieve all 1MDB funds linked to the deceased,” the sources said.
Kee’s funeral, which was originally planned to start at 10am yesterday at the Kepong crematorium, was done much earlier.
Journalists at the scene were greeted with empty halls and staff members there confirmed that the body had been sent from the funeral parlour to the crematorium as early as 8.30am.
It is learnt the funeral was only attended by a handful of people.
Kee, 56, was one of the several individuals who confirmed with the authorities that Low, better known as Jho Low, was in Macau, along with a few others wanted in the 1MDB investigation.
Previously, the MACC in collaboration with the Singapore’s Commercial Affairs Department had successfully seized a bank account belonging to Wright Shaw Limited, amounting to about US$5.2mil.
The investigation showed the money was from the misappropriation of 1MDB funds through Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia.
Malaysian authorities have been trying to repatriate Low for years.
He was first charged in absentia in 2018 by the Sessions Court with eight counts of money laundering and issued a warrant of arrest.
