By South China Morning Post | Created at 2026-08-27 06:12:03 | Updated at 2026-09-04 15:20:55
1 week ago
Malaysia’s former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob pleaded not guilty in a Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on Thursday to failing to declare millions of ringgit in local and foreign currencies and gold bars.
The 66-year-old is the second ex-leader to face criminal charges since Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim took office in 2022, pledging to root out entrenched corruption.
Ismail Sabri’s charge under Section 36(2) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act comes more than a year after he was named as a suspect in a sprawling corruption and money-laundering investigation involving government publicity spending during his administration.
According to the charge, Ismail Sabri allegedly gave a written statement in February 2025 that failed to comply with an MACC notice requiring him to declare specified assets.
Those assets, valued at close to US$40 million, were 14.77 million ringgit, S$6.13 million, US$1.46 million, 3 million Swiss francs, €12.16 million, 363 million yen, £50,250, NZ$44,600, 34.75 million UAE dirhams and A$352,850, as well as five Suisse fine gold bars.
If convicted, the MP for the central constituency of Bera faces up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of 100,000 ringgit (US$25,000).
