KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 — Former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will not be charged at the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur today, as he is currently warded at the National Heart Institute (IJN).
Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin allowed a request from Ismail Sabri’s lawyer to postpone the reading of charges against him to August 27, in light of his health condition and because the prosecution did not object.
While Ismail Sabri’s case was called up in court this morning, his lawyer Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad informed the judge that the politician had been admitted to IJN since yesterday.
Amer said Ismail Sabri was at the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission’s (MACC) headquarters yesterday to record his statement, accompanied by his lawyer Ragunath Kesavan.
“He did experience health issues that have been informed to the relevant MACC officers, they were aware of his condition in the recording of statement, and from there he had to be rushed to IJN,” he said.
Following Ismail Sabri being admitted to IJN yesterday, Amer Hamzah said they have managed to obtain confirmation from the doctor in charge and that a copy of that letter has been given to the prosecution: “Based on that confirmation, our client has health issue, where the latest Holter study has revealed there is possible arrhythmia that requires further investigation.”
“This morning as well on the way to court, we have confirmed with our client to ascertain his condition. And we were informed he’s supposed to undergo a procedure this afternoon,” he said, adding that it is a pacemaker procedure.
Amer said this is a rare situation where it would be appropriate to defer the reading of charges and recording of plea to another date.
As Ismail Sabri would have to be warded after undergoing his procedure this afternoon, Amer Hamzah proposed that the court postpone the reading of charges to August 27: “And hopefully by that time he will be fit and ready to enter a plea in court.”
Amer Hamzah said Ismail Sabri is still under MACC bail and there is no issue of him absconding.
Deputy public prosecutor Farah Ezlin Yusof Khan then said, “it is only fair on humanitarian grounds” for the prosecution not to object to the application to postpone the case to August 27, since Ismail Sabri would not be able to appear in court due to his health condition and because he is currently under MACC bail.
Amer Hamzah then expressed appreciation to the prosecution for understanding his client’s current situation.
The prosecution was also represented today by deputy public prosecutors Ifa Sirrhu Samsudin and Nurul Qistini Qamarul Abrar, while Ismail Sabri was also represented today by lawyers Datuk Seri Rajan Navaratnam, Ragunath, Joshua Tay, Tan Xu Yin, Aswath Ramakhrisnan and Sanjey G. Sangkar.
Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad, lawyer representing Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, speaking to the media at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur on August 7, 2026. — Picture by Raymond Manuel Later, Amer Hamzah told reporters that “it is not practical for the charge to be read out at IJN” due to his client’s health condition and the pacemaker procedure that he has to undergo today.
Amer Hamzah said Ismail Sabri previously also had health issues, noting that his client had a fall two weeks ago and was admitted to Pantai Hospital and was actually scheduled for a check-up with IJN next Monday.
Ragunath told reporters that his client was at the MACC headquarters from 9am to 6pm yesterday.
Yesterday, Ismail Sabri was reported to be expected to face charges today under the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) Act in relation to the declaration of assets.
Former Umno vice president Ismail Sabri, 66, is the Bera MP and was Malaysia’s ninth prime minister from August 2021 to October 2022.
The MACC had in February 2025 arrested four of Ismail Sabri’s officers, and also seized about RM170 million in cash and other currencies, 16kg of gold bars valued at RM7 million, jewellery, and luxury watches from his aide’s house.
Ismail Sabri had appeared at the MACC headquarters multiple times between March to May 2025 to give his statement.
On October 1, 2025, the Sessions Court had ordered over RM169 million in cash to be forfeited to the Malaysian government, as both Ismail Sabri and his aide did not challenge the forfeiture and no other party challenged the forfeiture.
