KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 6): Former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is expected to be charged in court on Friday (Aug 7).
According to the e-court portal’s cause list, Ismail Sabri is to appear before Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin at the Criminal Sessions Court at 9am on Friday, based on checks by The Edge.
If charged, he will be the third Malaysian prime minister to face criminal charges after Datuk Seri Najib Razak in 2018 and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in 2023.
Bernama reported that the charges purportedly involve the Bera MP’s declaration of assets.
It is understood the case is being brought by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), with the prosecution led by deputy public prosecutor Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan.
It is understood that former Malaysian Bar president Ragunath Kesavan will be appearing for the former prime minister.
Ismail Sabri had been in and out of MACC offices in 2025 to record his statements over asset declarations.
The anti-graft probe came after four senior aides of the former prime minister were detained in February, leading to raids on homes and offices believed to be used as “safe houses” for the investigation. In the raids, about RM170 million in cash, gold and other assets were reportedly seized from the former prime minister's aides.
The seizures were tied allegedly to the Keluarga Malaysia initiative which was launched during Ismail Sabri’s short tenure as prime minister between August 2021 and November 2022.
The anti-graft agency completed its probe in June 2025. At the time, the case was being investigated under the MACC Act 2009 and the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
In October last year, over RM169 million in cash allegedly linked to Ismail Sabri was forfeited to the Malaysian government by order of the Sessions Court. Neither Ismail Sabri nor his former political secretary contested the government’s application for the forfeiture.