The 66-year-old pleaded not guilty on Thursday at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to a charge alleging that he failed to provide a complete declaration of his assets to Malaysia’s anti-corruption authorities, Al Jazeera reported.
Prosecutors accuse Ismail Sabri of concealing holdings worth about $40 million across nine currencies, along with bars of gold and silver.
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His lawyer, Amer Hamzah Arshad, said the case essentially concerned an alleged failure to comply with a notice requiring the former prime minister to declare certain assets.
“We will be studying the charge,” Amer told reporters, adding that the defence had concerns about the “propriety and legality” of the charge but would not elaborate.
The court granted Ismail Sabri bail of 300,000 ringgit ($74,504). The judge also rejected a request to confiscate his passport, saying there was no evidence that he posed a flight risk.
Ismail Sabri is due to return to court on September 29. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison.
He served as Malaysia’s prime minister for about 15 months, from August 2021 until November 2022, making his tenure the shortest among the country’s prime ministers.
The case follows an investigation by Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency, which said in March that Ismail Sabri had submitted an asset declaration after being ordered to do so as part of a probe into alleged corruption and money laundering.
His prosecution adds to a growing list of former Malaysian prime ministers facing legal action over alleged corruption.
Former Prime Minister Najib Razak is serving a reduced six-year prison sentence following his conviction in a case involving the multibillion-dollar 1MDB state investment fund. He was also sentenced to an additional 15 years in prison in a separate and larger graft case linked to 1MDB, while other proceedings remain ongoing.
Another former prime minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, is currently on trial on corruption and money-laundering charges.
Ismail Sabri’s case is the latest major test for Malaysia’s efforts to pursue corruption allegations involving senior political figures, including former leaders who have left office.:::
