Former Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was charged in a Kuala Lumpur court under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 for failing to declare assets totaling 14.7 million ringgit, according to reports from CNN Indonesia. Judge Suzana Hussin read the charges during a morning hearing, where the former leader pleaded not guilty.
MACC Charges and Undeclared Assets
According to the charge sheet cited by CNN Indonesia, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is accused of intentionally providing inaccurate asset declarations under Section 36(1)(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 (Act 694) on January 7, 2025. The prosecution alleges he failed to declare a substantial cache of wealth, including 14.7 million ringgit (approximately Rp64.7 billion) held across multiple foreign currencies and gold bars.
As reported by the outlets, the foreign currencies include Singapore dollars, US dollars, Swiss francs, euros, Japanese yen, British pounds, New Zealand dollars, United Arab Emirates dirhams, and Australian dollars.
Legal Arguments Over Bail and Passport Seizure
During the court proceedings, prosecutors requested a bail amount of 500,000 ringgit (Rp2.2 billion). Additionally, the prosecution asked the court to impound the passport of the former prime minister and restrict him from traveling abroad.
Defense counsel Amer Hamzah Arshad strongly opposed the state’s bid to confiscate his client’s travel documents. According to CNN Indonesia, Amer argued that no legal necessity justified holding the passport, stating that prosecutors lacked sufficient evidence to prove Ismail Sabri posed a flight risk.
“We are here to answer the charge, we are here present to clear Ismail Sabri’s name,” Amer said, as reported by the outlets.
Political Background
Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob served as the prime minister of Malaysia from August 2021 to October 2022.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What specific law was Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob charged under?
He was charged under Section 36(1)(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 (Act 694), according to reports from CNN Indonesia.
How much money is involved in the asset declaration case?
Prosecutors allege he failed to declare 14.7 million ringgit (Rp64.7 billion) in various foreign currencies and gold bars.
What plea did the former prime minister enter in court?
According to reports citing The Star, Ismail Sabri pleaded not guilty to the charges during the Kuala Lumpur court session.
When did Ismail Sabri serve as prime minister of Malaysia?
He held office from August 2021 until October 2022, succeeding Muhyiddin Yassin.
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