Whistleblower takes Musa Aman's son-in-law 'false report' case to IPCC

Summary

• Businessperson Albert Tei claims the police are not acting against his report accusing Arifin Arif of making a false report.

• Tei previously accused the state minister of offering a settlement in connection with the Sabah mining scandal.

The businessperson who blew the lid off Sabah’s graft scandal is turning up the pressure - this time filing a complaint with the Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC) over alleged police inaction on his report against Arifin Arif.

Albert Tei, accompanied by his lawyer Mahajoth Singh, is set to file the complaint at the IPCC office in Putrajaya tomorrow morning.

Malaysiakini was also informed that Tei had received an acknowledgement from the MACC on June 30 that an investigation had been opened into his report against Sabah governor Musa Aman’s son-in-law, whom he accused of offering him a settlement to retract the allegations.

On Feb 6, the businessperson had filed a counter police report against Arifin (above), a day after the state minister lodged a report against a Malaysiakini article on the alleged settlement offer.

Tei claimed that Arifin - one of the individuals accused of taking bribes in exchange for a prospecting licence - had filed a “false report” alleging that the Malaysiakini article was inaccurate, misleading, and filled with false and slanderous claims.

Mining licence monopoly claim

Arifin further accused the businessperson of being part of a cartel attempting to monopolise mining licences in the state.

“Therefore, I am taking legal action against those who slander and collude with the cartel’s bid to monopolise mining licences in Sabah,” the Membakut assemblyperson told reporters after lodging the report.

However, Tei, in his counter report, said that he is willing to be arrested and charged if investigations prove his allegation of a settlement offer was false.

Conversely, the businessperson demanded that Arifin be brought to court if it is determined that he filed a false police report.

The businessperson also furnished Malaysiakini with more than 50 screenshots of WhatsApp conversations related to the alleged settlement.

The whistleblower said he is prepared to submit all the screenshots to the police to facilitate their investigations.

Last month, Tei and two assemblypersons - assistant state industrial development and entrepreneurship minister Andi Suryady Bandy and Sindumin assemblyperson Yusof Yacob - claimed trial to corruption charges linked to the scandal.

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