KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Former Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob was charged Thursday with failing to declare his assets, becoming the third former leader of the nation to face criminal proceedings after leaving office.
The 66-year-old politician pleaded not guilty to a charge brought under the anti-graft law, which alleges he failed to provide a complete declaration of assets after receiving a notice from the anti-corruption agency in January 2025. The charge sheet reportedly includes details of significant amounts of cash in both Malaysian and foreign currencies, as well as gold and silver.
If convicted, Ismail faces a potential sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to 100,000 ringgit, approximately $24,810.
Ismail, who served as Malaysia's ninth prime minister, assumed office without a general election during a period of political turbulence. His tenure lasted 15 months, from August 2021 to November 2022, making him the shortest-serving leader.
Following his departure from office, Ismail has been questioned multiple times by anti-graft officials regarding alleged misconduct related to millions of dollars spent on government publicity during his term. The anti-graft agency has also reportedly seized gold bars and approximately $40 million in cash from properties associated with him.
His defense lawyer, Amer Hamzah Arshad, stated that Ismail has been released on bail and intends to contest the charges, which the lawyer described as "baseless and unfounded." The next court hearing is scheduled for September 29, when prosecutors are expected to provide further details to the defense.
Ismail was originally scheduled to be charged on August 7, but the proceedings were postponed after he was hospitalized for a heart condition requiring a pacemaker procedure.
Ismail's indictment follows similar legal actions against his two predecessors. Former Prime Minister Najib Razak is currently serving a reduced six-year prison sentence following a conviction linked to the multibillion-dollar looting of the 1MDB state investment fund. He also received a 15-year sentence in another major graft trial connected to 1MDB and faces additional legal proceedings.
Muhyiddin Yassin, who preceded Ismail as prime minister, is currently on trial for corruption and money-laundering charges.