Former Malaysian PM Ismail Sabri charged with assets concealment

Former Malaysian Prime Minister ​Ismail Sabri Yaakob was ​charged on Thursday with failure ‌to declare ​assets, the third former premier prosecuted in recent years over alleged graft-related offences. Ismail Sabri, who ‌was Malaysia's prime minister for just over 15 months from 2021 to 2022 during a period of political upheaval, was accused of concealing assets ‌that consisted of local and foreign currencies as well as gold ‌bars and silver. He pleaded not guilty at a lower court in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday and was released on 300,000 ringgit ($74,534) bail. If convicted, he faces jail ⁠of ​up to five ⁠years and a fine of up to 100,000 ringgit. The anti-graft agency in March last ⁠year said Ismail Sabri had submitted an assets declaration after being ordered to ​do so as part of its investigation into alleged graft and ⁠money laundering, following the seizure of nearly $40 million in assets allegedly linked to him.

Cash ⁠amounting ​to 170 million ringgit in various currencies and 16 kg of gold bars were seized following the raids, the agency said at ⁠the time. A trained lawyer, Ismail Sabri has served in various roles in ⁠politics, including lawmaker ⁠and cabinet minister under three prime ministers, with portfolios that included rural and regional development, agriculture and domestic ‌trade.

($1 = 4.0250 ‌ringgit)