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Ismail Sabri charged with failing to declare assets FAST-MOVING
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has pleaded not guilty in a Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to charges of failing to declare assets. The charges, brought under Section 36(2) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, stem from a notice issued in January 2025.
The prosecution alleges that Ismail Sabri failed to declare significant wealth, including RM14.77 million in cash, various foreign currencies such as US dollars, euros, and Japanese yen, as well as five one-kilogram gold bars, a silver bar, and a gold coin. If convicted, he faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to RM100,000.
Ismail Sabri’s legal team, led by Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad, is considering challenging the legality of the charge. The defense has raised concerns regarding the propriety of the indictment, noting that the assets in question are reportedly already in the possession of the government.
This case marks the third time a former Malaysian leader has faced criminal proceedings, following investigations into predecessors Najib Razak and Muhyiddin Yassin.
Entities
1Malaysia Development Berhad · Ismail Sabri Yaakob · Kuala Lumpur · Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission · Muhyiddin Yassin · Najib Razak
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Najib Razak is facing a US$5.64 billion civil lawsuit filed by 1MDB. www.utusan.com.my
- [● 2 SOURCES] Muhyiddin Yassin is facing seven charges of abuse of position and money laundering regarding the Jana Wibawa project. www.utusan.com.my
- [● 4 SOURCES] Undeclared foreign currencies include millions in Singapore dollars, US dollars, Swiss francs, euros, Japanese yen, British pounds, New Zealand dollars, UAE dirhams, and Australian dollars. www.malay.news · alhijrahnews.com · berita.rtm.gov.my · www.freemalaysiatoday.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] Ismail Sabri pleaded not guilty to the charges and requested a trial. www.malay.news · alhijrahnews.com · berita.rtm.gov.my · www.businesstimes.com.sg · www.freemalaysiatoday.com
- [● 8 SOURCES] Ismail Sabri is charged with failing to declare RM14 million in cash and five kilograms of gold bars. www.malay.news · alhijrahnews.com · berita.rtm.gov.my · www.businesstimes.com.sg · mymotherlode.com · +3 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] The charge against Ismail Sabri falls under Section 36(2) of the MACC Act, carrying a potential five-year prison sentence and a RM100,000 fine. www.malay.news · alhijrahnews.com · berita.rtm.gov.my · mymotherlode.com · ca.news.yahoo.com · +1 more
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Ismail Sabri’s legal team is considering challenging the charge, arguing that the assets in question are already in government possession. www.freemalaysiatoday.com