KUALA LUMPUR, May 31 — Kee Kok Thiam, a suspect in the 1MDB case who informed local investigators about fugitive Low Taek Jho or Jho Low’s whereabouts, died of a sudden massive stroke, his lawyers confirmed today.

Law firm Valen, Oh & Partners said their client had passed away in a hospital on May 29.

"Reference is made to media articles on Mr Kee’s passing away and the circumstances.

"We urge all parties not to entertain any speculation on this unfortunate event and allow the family the space to grieve on his passing,” they said in a brief statement.

Kee had been a pivotal witness in the local investigations of the global corruption scandal, whom Malaysian authorities questioned upon his return following his deportation from Macau for allegedly overstaying his visa.

During questioning by the MACC, he confirmed meeting Low and fellow 1MDB fugitives and suspects — Eric Tan Kim Loong, Casey Tang Keng Chee, Geh Choh Heng and Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil — in Macau.

However, author Bradley Hope has since claimed that Low is under house arrest in Shanghai, China, although he was in Macau, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Thailand a lot from 2015 to 2018.

Al Jazeera had in a report said MACC's remark on Low's whereabouts came weeks after the arrest of Kee — one of the suspects in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal — after he was deported from Macau for allegedly overstaying his visa.

On May 5, Malay Mail reported that an unnamed suspect was brought back with the cooperation of enforcement agencies from abroad, and arrived at KLIA's Terminal 2 on May 3 at 3.30am. This is now believed to be Kee.

Yesterday, a senior official from MACC confirmed Kee’s recent death, adding that the latter had been released after being questioned by the commission.