World News
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob Charged with Failing to Declare Assets
Ismail Sabri Yaakob pleaded not guilty to charges under Malaysia's anti-graft laws, becoming the third consecutive former leader to face prosecution after leaving office.
The short version
- Former Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob pleaded not guilty to charges of failing to submit a complete asset declaration requested by anti-corruption officials.
- If convicted under the anti-graft law, Ismail faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to 100,000 ringgit ($24,810).
- Ismail is the third consecutive former prime minister of Malaysia to face criminal charges following their time in office, joining Najib Razak and Muhyiddin Yassin.
Key facts
- Ismail Sabri Yaakob pleaded not guilty to failing to comply with an anti-graft agency notice from January 2025 requiring a full disclosure of his assets.[Associated Press]
- The charge sheet against Ismail includes gold, silver, and sums of cash in both foreign and local currencies.[Associated Press]
- Anti-graft officials previously confiscated gold bars and roughly $40 million in cash from properties associated with Ismail while investigating potential misuse of public funds for advertising during his tenure.[Associated Press]
- Ismail served as prime minister for 15 months from August 2021 to November 2022.[Associated Press]
- Former Prime Minister Najib Razak is imprisoned over the 1MDB fund scandal, while former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin faces separate corruption and money-laundering trials.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- It remains unstated when court proceedings for Ismail's trial will begin or whether additional charges may be filed regarding publicity expenditures.[Associated Press]