Ex Malaysian PM Ismail Sabri Yaakob is a suspect in 212m graft case Anti corruption agency

PUTRAJAYA – Former Malaysian prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has been named a suspect in a graft case involving RM700 million (S$212 million) spent on government publicity during his 15-month tenure.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki announced at a press conference on March 3 that his investigators will call in Datuk Seri Ismail for questioning on March 5.

This comes after the MACC recently seized RM170 million in local and foreign currencies, as well as 16kg in gold bars worth RM7 million from a condominium.

“On Feb 10, Datuk Seri Ismail declared his assets. We took his statement on Feb 19. The questioning took four to five hours.

“He is being investigated as a suspect under Section 36 (1) of the MACC Act. We will call him in again this Wednesday to question him regarding the RM177 million (in total) that has been seized,” Tan Sri Azam said.

Mr Ismail, 65, led the country as Malaysia’s ninth prime minister from August 2021 to November 2022.

The MACC had detained four of Mr Ismail’s senior aides on Feb 21, and raided four premises as part of its investigations. The cash and gold bars were found stashed in three safes in one of the premises raided. Some items of jewellery, still to be valued, were also discovered in the raids.

Among the seized currencies found in one of the premises were yen, pounds sterling, euros and dirhams, as well as Singapore, US and Australian dollars.

“Out of the RM170 million, only RM14 million are (in) ringgit,” said Mr Azam, adding that one of the four suspects had rented the house.

At the same time, 13 bank accounts worth RM2 million from the four suspects have also been suspended. However, Mr Azam said Mr Ismail’s bank account and the Keluarga