No criminal elements, cops say on death of ex-Jho Low aide

Police have classified the death of a businessman linked to 1MDB and SRC International investigations as sudden death.

Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan said Kee Kok Thiam, 56, an alleged accomplice of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, died of health issues on Monday.

"This case was investigated by the police as a SDR (sudden death report) and there were no criminal elements," he said when contacted by Bernama yesterday.

Earlier, law firm Valen, Oh & Partners, which claimed to represent Kee’s family, said in a statement that Kee had died in hospital after suffering a sudden massive stroke.

Kee, who was investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on suspicion of receiving money from 1MDB and SRC International funds, returned to the country on May 3 after being on the run since 2018.

He presented himself at the MACC office in Putrajaya at 10am on the same day after being served with a notice.

On May 30, an international news organisation reported that Kee had told investigators that he had met Jho Low and several others wanted in connection with the 1MDB case, namely Eric Tan Kim Loong, Casey Tang Keng Chee, Geh Choh Heng and Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, in Macau.