Former PM Ismail Sabri’s Court Case Deferred to Aug 27 Following Urgent Heart Procedure at IJN

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 — The Sessions Court today postponed court proceedings against former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to August 27 after he was rushed to the National Heart Institute (IJN) following health complications during an interrogation session with anti-graft investigators.

Sessions Court Judge Suzana Hussin allowed the postponement of the charge reading and plea recording after lead defense counsel Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad submitted an urgent application informing the court that the Bera Member of Parliament had been admitted to IJN.

Amer Hamzah disclosed that the 66-year-old former premier suffered acute medical distress on Wednesday while giving his statement at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters.

“The matter was brought to the attention of the MACC officer handling the statement-recording process, and it was then that he (Ismail Sabri) had to be rushed to IJN,” Amer Hamzah told the court. “The attending doctor confirmed that our client had possible arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), which requires further investigation.”

Counsel added that Ismail Sabri was scheduled to undergo a pacemaker procedure on Thursday afternoon and is expected to remain warded for several days for post-procedure monitoring and recovery.

Given the medical emergency, the defense requested that the formal reading of charges, recording of plea, and related matters including bail be deferred to a later date.

“We also applied for Aug 27 to be set as the new date. As our client remains under MACC bail, there is no issue of him absconding. The court is also welcome to visit him if necessary,” Amer Hamzah added.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan informed the court that the prosecution had already filed charges against Ismail Sabri after obtaining formal consent to prosecute.

Ismail Sabri was slated to be charged at Criminal Sessions Court 14 under Section 36(2) of the MACC Act 2009 for offences related to the declaration of assets.

Farah Ezlin confirmed that on humanitarian grounds, the prosecution raised no objection to the defense application, considering the accused is currently out on MACC bail and medically unfit to appear.

“We agree that once he is discharged from hospital and confirmed to be in good health, the charges can be read and his plea recorded. Aug 27 is a suitable date,” Farah Ezlin said.

Farah Ezlin was assisted by deputy public prosecutors Ifa Sirrhu Samsudin and Nurul Qistini Qamarul Abrar, while Amer Hamzah appeared alongside Datuk Seri Rajan Navaratnam, Ragunath Kesavan, Joshua Tay, Tan Xu Yin, Aswath Ramakhrisnan, and Sanjey G. Sangkar for the defense.

Prior to his hospitalisation, Ismail Sabri had been summoned on multiple occasions by MACC officers to clarify details regarding his official asset disclosures.

The ongoing legal action follows extensive enforcement operations in which MACC investigators seized RM170 million in foreign currency cash and 16 kilograms of gold bullion valued at RM7 million. The substantial assets were recovered during raids on residential and office premises suspected of being used as safe houses following the arrests of four of Ismail Sabri’s former senior officers in February 2025.

–NMT