Shafie vows action over Sabah graft scandal if Warisan forms state govt

PARLIAMENT | A Warisan-led state government after the next Sabah polls will pursue charges against more Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) lawmakers implicated in the mining licence corruption scandal, said party president Shafie Apdal.

Debating the 13th Malaysia Plan, the Semporna MP echoed concerns that so far only two assemblypersons have been charged, along with businessperson Albert Tei, who exposed videos that implicated Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor and over a dozen lawmakers.

“When we hear of rampant corruption, including the mineral licence scandal, what is our action?

“The video was released, two people were charged, but what about the others?” Shafie told the Dewan Rakyat today.

On June 30, Tei claimed trial to two counts of giving bribes under Section 16(b)(B) of the MACC Act 2009.

He was accused of bribing Sabah Assistant Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Andi Suryady Bandy and Sindumin assemblyperson Yusof Yacob to help with obtaining mineral prospecting licences.

Andi - who is Kalabakan MP - was charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act, which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

Yusof, who is Qhazanah Sabah chairperson, was charged with receiving RM200,000 in cash from Tei at the Hilton Hotel’s rooftop bar in Kota Kinabalu on March 6, 2023.

The bribe was allegedly meant to help process a prospecting licence for Syarikat Nusa Kini Sdn Bhd.

More action please

Shafie insisted that more action must be taken in response to the corruption allegations.

“This is what concerns me. There must be a money trail… a document trail.

“InsyaAllah ‘tomorrow’, when we (Warisan) are in power, I will investigate and I will take action,” said the former Sabah chief minister.

For the upcoming Sabah polls, Warisan will contest all 73 seats as a single party, with its president arguing that alliances with federal-based parties lead to political interference.

Reporting by Alyaa Alhadjri, Zarrah Morden, Haspaizi Zain

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