[Watch] Mountains Of Cash Displayed By MACC: RM170 Million Seized In Ismail Sabri Corruption Probe

The seized assets, discovered in three safes inside a rented apartment allegedly used as a secret storage facility, included RM14 million alongside substantial amounts of UAE Dirhams, Japanese Yen, Australian Dollars, Euros, US Dollars, and British Pounds.

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Stacks of cash piled high on display tables at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters today (3 March) revealed the shocking scale of assets seized in the corruption investigation involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, whom MACC has now officially named as a suspect.

MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki presided over the dramatic reveal of towering bundles of Malaysian Ringgit alongside substantial amounts of foreign currencies, gold bars, luxury watches, and jewellery worth approximately RM170 million.

“On the table, there are only 14 million Ringgit. The rest is foreign currency,” Azam explained as the media gazed at the mountains of cash, which included UAE Dirhams, Japanese Yen, Australian Dollars, Swiss Francs, Saudi Riyal, Thai Baths, Korean Won, Chinese Yuan, Euros, US Dollars, Singapore Dollars, and British Pounds.

The unprecedented public display of seized assets was intended to provide concrete evidence of the commission’s findings in the high-profile case.

“In this matter I can say that he [Ismail Sabri] is a suspect in this case. Firstly, asset declarations have been required as per Section 36 of the MACC Act,” said Azam.

Secondly, the money was found with links to him. We will need his statement on the discovery.

Cash Hidden in Three Safes at Secret Apartment

All the displayed assets were discovered in an apartment reportedly used as a safe house, with the seized cash and valuables stored in three safes.

The apartment was rented and possibly managed by one of the case suspects.

We raided many locations, but all this money was found in one apartment.

The MACC seized these assets after detaining four officials connected to Ismail Sabri on 21 February, including two individuals with the title ‘Datuk’.

The commission believes these individuals were assistants to the former prime minister.

Investigation Continues as Bank Accounts Frozen

Azam denied reports that Datuk Nazimah Hashim, Ismail Sabri’s former private secretary, had fled overseas and that her statement had been taken.

While the Yayasan Keluarga Malaysia bank accounts remain unfrozen, the former prime minister’s accounts are being investigated, and MACC will seek explanations from him on all his accounts.

Yayasan Keluarga Malaysia was established by Ismail Sabri to continue the initiatives under the Keluarga Malaysia concept, promoting social welfare and family support across Malaysia.

A total of 13 bank accounts worth around RM2 million have been frozen as part of the investigations.

The MACC had already interviewed Ismail Sabri for about five hours last week and may summon him again as the investigation continues into the source and purpose of the massive cash haul displayed today.

Meanwhile, social media has lost no love for the nation’s 9th and shortest serving prime minister, with many Malaysians posting scathing remarks against him.

A big sign of how uninfluential Ismail Sabri is within both UMNO and Madani is how aggressive MACC has gone after him thus far. https://t.co/Ehdg1UV1KI
— Viscount Bukit Panjang (@ViscountBP) March 3, 2025