Division leader denies Sabah Umno behind bribery exposé

A Sabah Umno leader has denied allegations that the state party chapter was the conductor orchestrating a whistleblower’s exposé about alleged corruption by state assemblypersons.

Beaufort Umno division chief Awang Aslee Lakat said Umno members have only been sharing news of the scandal, which was not unusual.

“So why are there quarters claiming Umno is the mastermind behind this corruption issue?” he was quoted as saying by Utusan Malaysia.

Awang, who is also the former state party executive secretary, added that if allegations of corruption are true, then it is up to the MACC to investigate the matter.

A businessperson claimed to have eight videos of Sabah assemblypersons allegedly discussing bribes.

On Monday, Malaysiakini published a 17-second excerpt of one of the videos, which was also played for the MACC previously.

In the video, a politician is heard discussing whether RM500,000 in alleged bribes he received can be paid back to the businessperson in instalments.

While the politician was not named, Sindumin assemblyperson Yusof Yacob later emerged dismissing the clip as a fabrication via artificial intelligence.

Yusof is from Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, a party that Umno has been tussling with in its bid to control the state.

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