Ex Malaysian leader Ismail Sabri Yaakob charged

Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob was charged Thursday with failing to declare his assets, making him the nation’s third leader to face criminal charges after leaving office.

Ismail, 66, pleaded not guilty to a charge under the anti-graft law that alleged he failed to provide a complete declaration of assets following a notice from the anti-corruption agency in January 2025.

The charge sheet lists large amounts of cash in Malaysian and foreign currencies, as well as gold and silver.

If convicted, Ismail faces up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine up to 100,000 ringgit.

Ismail unexpectedly became prime minister without a general election after emerging as a consensus figure. He was also the shortest-serving leader and has been questioned multiple times for possible misconduct involving millions of dollars.