Malaysia's finance minister said today he has asked the Inland Revenue Board to investigate financier Low Taek Jho and his family in relation to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), the state fund at the heart of a massive anti-corruption probe.

Lim Guan Eng said in a tweet: "The Inland Revenue Board is asked to investigate Jho Low and his family in relation to any returns or anything received in the 1MDB scandal."

The whereabouts of Low, a close friend of former prime minister Najib Razak's family, are unknown.

He has previously denied any wrongdoing.

Najib, who was defeated in the 14th general election two weeks ago, has been barred from leaving Malaysia as the new government has relaunched an investigation into how billions of dollars disappeared from 1MDB.

- Reuters