Former Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri has declared his wealth as part of a corruption investigation linked to nearly $40 million in asset seizures tied to his administration. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is probing public spending and procurement issues from his tenure, which lasted from August 2021 to November 2022. Several officials have been detained as part of the investigation, and further questioning of Ismail Sabri is anticipated.
Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Malaysia’s former Prime Minister, has declared his wealth to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission as part of a corruption and money laundering investigation. This announcement follows the agency’s seizure of nearly $40 million in assets purportedly linked to him. The agency’s investigation centers on public spending and procurement during his time in office from August 2021 to November 2022.
The investigation has already involved questioning Ismail Sabri in January 2022 regarding approximately 700 million ringgit ($157 million) spent on government publicity. On February 10, he formally submitted a wealth declaration after being ordered by the authorities. The agency has also collected a statement from him on February 19 and indicated the possibility of further questioning.
Additionally, four senior officials from his administration have been detained, with authorities conducting raids at four locations. These operations resulted in the seizure of 170 million ringgit in cash and 16 kilograms of gold bars. Specific details regarding the content of these seizures were not disclosed by the agency yet.
In summary, former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri is currently under scrutiny due to a corruption investigation related to significant public spending during his administration. He has complied with requests from the anti-graft agency to declare his wealth and has faced questioning regarding his financial dealings. The ongoing investigation has led to the detention of several officials connected to his premiership, highlighting the seriousness of the allegations. As this situation unfolds, further developments may arise as authorities continue their inquiries into the suspected misappropriation of public funds.
Original Source: www.usnews.com
