KUALA LUMPUR • Malaysia's police suspect that Low Taek Jho is hiding in Macau, amid efforts to bring the fugitive financier home to face justice for his role in the scandal involving troubled state fund 1MDB.

"Strong indication that he is there - full stop," Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador said in a text message to Bloomberg.

The police chief had said in February that they had received intelligence that Low, or Jho Low, was active in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Malaysia's court on Tuesday said Low played a crucial role in transferring RM42 million (S$13.6 million) of funds from a former 1MDB unit to former prime minister Najib Razak's accounts. Najib was found guilty of all seven charges in the trial and faces 12 years in prison, along with a RM210 million fine.

The Chinese authorities yesterday rejected the accusation that it was harbouring Low as "groundless and unacceptable".

"The position of the Chinese government on combating crime is consistent and clear-cut," the Chinese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur said in a statement. "China does not and will never shelter foreign criminals."

The embassy added that China would continue to give support and assistance to Malaysia in its investigations.

BLOOMBERG, REUTERS