Key facts
- Former Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has been charged with failing to declare assets.
- The charges relate to undeclared assets including currencies, gold bars, a silver bar, and a gold coin.
- Ismail Sabri pleaded not guilty to the charges.
- He was released on bail.
- If convicted, he could face up to five years in jail and a RM100,000 fine.
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has been charged with failing to declare assets under the country's anti-graft law. The 66-year-old pleaded not guilty at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to charges under Section 36(2) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act. He is accused of failing to declare nearly US$40 million in local and nine foreign currencies, along with five gold bars, a silver bar, and a gold coin. The alleged failure to declare occurred on February 7 of the previous year at the MACC headquarters. Ismail Sabri, who served as prime minister from August 2021 to November 2022, has been under scrutiny for corruption and money laundering allegations. The MACC completed its probe into him in June 2025. In March 2025, he was named a suspect in a separate probe involving RM700 million in government funds allegedly spent on his administration's 'Keluarga Malaysia' campaign. In that related investigation, the MACC seized approximately RM170 million in cash and other currencies, 16kg of gold bars valued at RM7 million, jewelry, and luxury watches. Four of Ismail Sabri's former officers were also arrested in connection with that probe. His court proceedings were initially scheduled for August 7 but were postponed due to a pacemaker procedure he underwent. Ismail Sabri is the third former Malaysian prime minister, after Najib Razak and Muhyiddin Yassin, to face a corruption investigation.