PARLIAMENT | Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today said the MACC’s decision to prosecute only two out of eight Sabah assemblypersons implicated in the mining licence corruption scandal was based on deliberations of a “strong case” in court.

Anwar, who responded to Ronald Kiandee (PN-Beluran), said this was based on the MACC’s justification when he asked about the matter, which was first exposed by businessperson-turned-whistleblower Albert Tei, who has since been charged along with two other Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) assemblypersons.

“Eight (assemblypersons) were linked in the videos. But MACC, when they look into it, must focus on cases that are strong enough to prosecute. I don’t interfere.

“I asked why only two? In the videos, there were eight.

“They (MACC) said it has to be strong, otherwise it will be thrown out in court,” said Anwar during Prime Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat.

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 also the 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 also the 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.

Anwar today said that while there were eight assemblypersons exposed in the initial series of leaked videos, such recordings alone could not form the basis for prosecution without corroborating evidence.

“From my own experience, video recordings alone are insufficient without factual backup.

“According to MACC, those who were charged are the ones they are confident have sufficient grounds.

“The others were based only on hearsay, including the voices in the video,” he said.

Last week, Semporna MP Shafie Apdal said a Warisan-led state government after the next Sabah polls will pursue charges against more GRS lawmakers implicated in the mining licence corruption scandal.

Reporting by Alyaa Alhadjri, Hariz Mohd, Haspaizi Zain

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