Kuala lumpur: Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was charged in the Sessions Court today for failing to declare assets, including RM14.7 million in cash, various foreign currencies, and gold bars. Ismail Sabri, aged 66 and current Bera Member of Parliament, pleaded not guilty to the charges presented before Judge Suzana Hussin.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the charge accuses Ismail Sabri of intentionally providing a written statement that did not comply with a notice issued under Section 36(1)(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009. This notice, dated January 7, 2025, was served on him by an MACC officer on January 10, 2025, requiring him to declare specified assets, which he allegedly failed to do.
The assets listed in the charge include cash amounts of RM14,772,150; SGD6,132,350; USD1,461,400; CHF3 million; EUR12,164,150; JPY363 million; GBP50,250; NZD44,600; AED34.75 million; AUD352,850, along with five Suisse Fine Gold bars. The offence was allegedly committed at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya on February 7, 2025.
The charge was framed under Section 36(2) of the MACC Act 2009, which carries a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment and a fine of up to RM100,000 upon conviction. The prosecution was led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan, while Ismail Sabri was represented by lawyer Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad.
The former prime minister was initially scheduled to face charges on August 7, but the proceedings were delayed due to his hospitalization at the National Heart Institute (IJN) for health issues. Judge Suzana then postponed the case, allowing for a pacemaker implantation procedure. Bail was set at RM300,000 with one family member as surety, with September 29 fixed for mention.
The judge dismissed the prosecution's request to confiscate Ismail Sabri's passport, citing insufficient evidence of him being a flight risk. Farah Ezlin highlighted that the offence was non-bailable under the MACC Act, but the court's discretion was respected regarding bail.
Amer Hamzah argued against the punitive nature of the bail, emphasizing the presumption of innocence. He pointed out that the prosecution had previously applied for asset forfeiture under Section 41 of the MACC Act, which was heard by the same judge, creating a unique legal situation.
Discussions about the bail amount revealed a discrepancy, with an initial proposal of RM100,000 unexpectedly rising to RM500,000. Amer Hamzah questioned the lack of justification for this increase. Lawyer Ragunath Kesavan further argued that Ismail Sabri posed no flight risk, as he had cooperated with MACC investigations since 2025.
Farah Ezlin clarified that the prosecution's actions against Ismail Sabri were separate from asset forfeiture proceedings and denied any bad faith. She maintained that the proposed bail was reasonable.
On October 1, 2025, Judge Suzana ordered the forfeiture of more than RM169 million in cash belonging to Ismail Sabri, as no third party claimed the property. The MACC had filed for the forfeiture of these funds, which were seized from his former political secretary, Datuk Mohammad Anuar Mohd Yunus.
The proceedings were attended by Ismail Sabri's family and notable political figures, with Ismail Sabri posting the RM300,000 bail before leaving the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex.