ADUN SPEAKS | I extend my congratulations to Abdul Halim Aman on assuming office as the new chief commissioner of the MACC on May 13.

With new leadership comes renewed hope that public confidence in the nation’s anti-corruption institutions can be restored and strengthened.

One of the first major tests of that commitment should be the Sabah mining licence scandal, which remains one of the most significant corruption-related controversies in Sabah in recent years.

The Sabah mining scandal shocked the nation when a series of videos surfaced allegedly showing discussions involving mining licences, payments, and political influence.

The matter attracted widespread public concern because it raised serious questions about governance, abuse of power, transparency, and the management of Sabah’s mineral resources.

The controversy became even more significant when public attention was drawn to the alleged issuance of a prospecting licence covering approximately 70,000 hectares of land in Sabah linked to businessperson Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak.

READ MORE: Farhash's company never applied for prospecting licence: Sabah land agency

The scale of the licence, coupled with the allegations that subsequently surfaced, intensified public concern about how Sabah’s natural resources were being managed and whether proper procedures, safeguards, and governance principles had been observed.

To date, however, only three individuals have been charged in court, including two state assemblypersons and the whistleblower who exposed the alleged misconduct.

From the outset, the public was informed that investigations involved a much wider group of individuals and that multiple investigation papers had been opened.

This naturally raises a number of important questions that deserve answers:

• What is the current status of all investigation papers relating to the Sabah mining licence scandal?

• Have investigations against all persons implicated been completed?

• Have the investigation papers been referred to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) for consideration?

• If so, what decisions have been made in respect of those investigation papers?

• If no further action is to be taken against any individual, what are the reasons supporting such a decision?

• Have any investigation papers been classified as No Further Action (NFA) in this matter? And if so, on what legal basis?

• What is the status of investigations relating to the issuance and approval process of the approximately 70,000-hectare prospecting licence that became the subject of intense public scrutiny?

Justice must be visibly done

I wish to emphasise that this is not a call to prejudge the guilt of any person. Every individual is entitled to the presumption of innocence and due process under the law.

However, the public is equally entitled to expect that all allegations are investigated thoroughly, fairly, and consistently, regardless of the status, position, wealth, or political connections of the individuals involved.

The principle at stake is simple: there must be neither selective prosecution nor selective closure of investigation files.

Justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done. The credibility of MACC depends on public confidence that investigations are conducted independently and that enforcement action is applied equally to all.

The change in leadership at MACC should not result in this important case being quietly forgotten or left unresolved. On the contrary, it presents an opportunity for the new chief commissioner to demonstrate MACC’s commitment to professionalism, independence, and accountability.

I therefore respectfully urge Abdul Halim to personally review the status of the Sabah mining licence scandal and provide a clear update to the Malaysian public.

Where sufficient evidence exists, appropriate legal action should be taken without fear or favour. Conversely, where MACC or the AGC concludes that no offence has been committed, the public should likewise be informed of the basis for such a conclusion.

Transparency is essential to maintaining public confidence in the integrity of our institutions.

In the interest of public accountability, I further call upon MACC to provide a comprehensive status update on all remaining investigation papers related to the Sabah mining licence scandal within sixty (60) days.

Such an update need not compromise ongoing investigations, but it should provide sufficient information to assure the public that the matter remains actively pursued and has not been quietly shelved.

Sabahans deserve answers

Sabah's mineral resources belong to the people of Sabah. Any allegation concerning the administration, allocation, or exploitation of those resources must be investigated thoroughly and brought to a clear conclusion.

The people of Sabah deserve answers. They deserve transparency. Most importantly, they deserve assurance that the rule of law applies equally to everyone, regardless of office, influence or political affiliation.

The public remembers that this scandal was described as one of the largest and most significant corruption investigations involving Sabah’s mineral resources.

The public therefore has every right to know how and why only three individuals have been prosecuted thus far while the status of the remaining investigations remains unclear.

The Sabah mining scandal must not become another high-profile case that gradually fades from public attention without accountability, closure or a satisfactory explanation to the public.

A change in leadership should not mean a change in priorities. The pursuit of truth, accountability, and justice must continue until all questions surrounding this scandal have been properly addressed.

CHIN TEK MING is the state assemblyperson for Kapayan.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.