Kota Setar police chief Syed Basri Syed Ali, however, said investigations remained ongoing.

“The suspect is known to have a hot temper, and preliminary investigations indicate that the incident is believed to have stemmed from financial problems,” he was quoted as saying by Utusan Malaysia.

He also said that police were tracking down the weapon allegedly used by the suspect to stab the victim, who was his mother.

The suspect was arrested in Selangor on Monday night and remanded for seven days until Feb 9.

The victim, an operations executive at a bank, was found dead by another of her sons at their home on Jalan Tanjung Bendahara on Monday morning.

She was said to have been stabbed three times, including in the torso.

Police said a handbag containing jewellery, cash and a handphone was also missing.