An ongoing probe by the Singapore authorities into the saga surrounding Malaysian state investor 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) has thrown up its first name.

Private banker Yak Yew Chee has filed a request with Singapore's High Court for some of his money to be released, sources have said.

In September last year, several of his bank accounts, containing about $10 million, were frozen as part of investigations surrounding 1MDB Global, the sources added.

Mr Yak, now a senior private banker with the local unit of Swiss bank BSI, needs the funds to pay taxes and legal fees as well as for basic expenses, they said.

According to the sources, he was the relationship manager for 1MDB Global Investments, Aabar Investment PJS and SRC International, as well as Mr Low Taek Jho.

Mr Low, also known as Jho Low, is a Malaysian businessman.

The Star newspaper in Malaysia had earlier reported that he had been summoned to appear before Malaysia's Public Accounts Committee over the 1MDB saga.

Mr Yak's request will be heard on Friday at 10am in the High Court. He is being represented by Senior Counsel Roderick Martin from Martin & Partners.

The news comes as the authorities here said on Monday that they had seized a "large number" of bank accounts over possible money-laundering and other offences linked to alleged financial mismanagement at 1MDB.

The Commercial Affairs Department and the Monetary Authority of Singapore added that they had been investigating possible offences since the middle of last year.

They added that they had sought and were continuing to seek information from several financial institutions, and were interviewing various individuals.

Singapore is cooperating with the relevant authorities, including those in Malaysia, Switzerland and the US.