MACC Completes Ismail Sabri Probe, Plans RM170 Mln Forfeiture
PUTRAJAYA, June 25 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has confirmed that the investigation into former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has been completed, and a forfeiture application for cash amounting to RM170 million is expected to be filed within the next two weeks.
MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the investigation papers have been submitted to the Attorney General's Chambers, and the Deputy Public Prosecutor has agreed to proceed with the application for forfeiture of the cash.
'The affidavit application and related documents are being prepared. It is up to Ismail Sabri to challenge our application,' he said at a press conference at the MACC headquarters here today.
However, Azam clarified that no decision has been made yet regarding criminal charges against the country's ninth prime minister.
Ismail Sabri had previously appeared at the MACC headquarters several times to assist in investigations into alleged corruption and money laundering involving the use and procurement of funds for promotion and publicity of the Keluarga Malaysia programme during his administration from August 2021 to November 2022.
Azam said the MACC had also recorded a statement from Ismail Sabri's former son-in-law, Datuk Jovian Mandagie, in relation to the investigation into the former prime minister's asset ownership.
The investigation followed a directive for Ismail Sabri to declare his assets under Section 36(1) of the MACC Act 2009. The declaration was made on Feb 10, and the MACC is now analysing the sources of the declared assets.
Following that, the MACC seized RM170 million in cash in various foreign currencies — including Baht, Riyal, Pound Sterling, Won, Euro, Swiss Franc and Yuan — and confiscated 16 kilogrammes of pure gold bars estimated to be worth RM7 million, as part of the corruption and money laundering probe against the former prime minister.
The seizures were made during raids at a residence and office believed to have been used as a 'safehouse', based on investigations into four of Ismail Sabri's former senior officers who were detained in February.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
38 minutes ago
- The Sun
Felda Land scheme officer charged with cheating senior citizen
SEREMBAN: A Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) Land Scheme officer pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here today to a charge of cheating a senior citizen in relation to repair works at a rubber collection centre two years ago. Eddy Khirin Bunaim, 45, entered the plea after the charge was read before Judge Darmafikri Abu Adam. He is accused of deceiving a 68-year-old man into signing a Felda Lui Selatan 1 Village Development and Security Committee cheque, supposedly for a RM12,000 payment to a supplier. The payment was purportedly intended as an advance for repair works at the Felda Lui Selatan 1 and 2 Rubber Collection Centres, even though the said supplier had not been appointed to carry out the works. The offence was allegedly committed at a bank branch in Bahau on March 16, 2023. He was charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which carries a sentence of between one and ten years' imprisonment, with caning, and a fine upon conviction. Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecuting officer Zainab Yahaya proposed bail at RM15,000, with an additional condition requiring the accused to report to the nearest MACC office monthly until the conclusion of the trial. The accused, who was unrepresented, appealed for minimal bail on the grounds that he is the sole provider for four school-going children and is currently pursuing further studies. The court allowed bail at RM5,000 with one surety and imposed the additional conditions. The case has been fixed for mention on August 14.
The Sun
38 minutes ago
- The Sun
MACC probes alleged misuse of RM12 mln involving Sapura Energy
PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is investigating the alleged misuse of RM12 million, believed to be linked to two cases involving the oil and gas solutions provider Sapura Energy Bhd. Its Chief Commissioner, Tan Sri Azam Baki said in the first case, statements from 15 witnesses have been recorded, but no arrests have been made so far. He said that the MACC has also frozen assets or properties belonging to a director of Sapura Petroleum and his family, as well as two luxury homes valued at RM5.5 million owned by the company's chief executive officer (CEO). 'In this first case, the investigation is ongoing, and we are determining whether the RM12 million constitutes an offence under Section 23 of the MACC Act,' he said at a press conference held at the MACC headquarters here today. Azam said the incident took place in 2018, during a time when Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) injected funds into Sapura Energy, thereby making it a government-linked company (GLC). 'When we say a GLC, it means the government has a stake in it. Therefore, any misuse of funds will fall under offences stipulated in our act, namely Section 23 of the MACC Act or possibly other offences under the Penal Code,' he said. Azam said the second case involves allegations of bribery by a foreign party to a CEO in 2011 in an attempt to secure a project owned by Sapura Energy. 'This bribery case involves a total of USD 3.3 million (RM14 million). At the time, the company was known as Sapura Crest, under Sapura Energy. A subcontract was awarded to a foreign company in Brazil. The payment was made by an agent and routed through a (foreign) country, via the Netherlands and channelled through Singapore', he said. He said that the MACC has to submit multiple requests for Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) to relevant countries to obtain further information. 'In this second case, I anticipate that the process will take a considerable amount of time due to the involvement of foreign legal jurisdictions,' he also said. 'We need to provide much more information to them (the two cases), and after we receive the necessary data, we will proceed with investigations within our country,' he added. In March, the MACC initiated two investigation papers regarding alleged bribery and embezzlement involving Sapura Energy Bhd. The investigations stem from the MACC's preliminary findings at the end of 2023, which involved claims related to the company. The MACC said the two investigation papers were opened to investigate activities related to money laundering and embezzlement from around 2018 when the company was formerly known as Sapura Kencana Petroleum Bhd.
Barnama
39 minutes ago
- Barnama
RON95 Unchanged, RON97 Up Seven Sen Per Litre
KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) -- The retail price of RON95 petrol remains unchanged at RM2.05 per litre, while that of RON97 increases by seven sen, from RM3.14 to RM3.21 per litre, for the period from June 26 to July 2. In a statement today, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said the retail price of diesel in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan remains at RM2.15 per litre, while in Peninsular Malaysia, it increases by seven sen to RM2.88 per litre for the same period. 'In line with the rise in global oil market prices, the government has set the retail price of RON97 petrol at RM3.21 per litre, while the retail price of diesel in Peninsular Malaysia is RM2.88 per litre.
