Kitingan confirms quizzed by MACC over latest exposé

Sabah Deputy Chief Minister I Jeffrey Kitingan confirmed that he is at the MACC office in Kota Kinabalu to give a statement over allegations that he received RM1.78 million linked to the state’s mining scandal.

“I am at their office right now,” said the Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) president to Malaysiakini when contacted.

An earlier statement indicated that Kitingan was called in for questioning this afternoon. However, he was believed to have been summoned by the MACC around 5.30pm.

Kitingan arrived at the MACC office along with his political secretary, Anuar Ghani, who was waiting outside the building.

Yesterday, businessperson Albert Tei released a video recording of his conversation with Kitingan, whom he alleged had received the largest payout of all in the Sabah mining scandal.

Tei also said the sum purportedly given to the Keningau MP was RM1.78 million - higher than the RM1.6 million figure mentioned in the clip.

The meeting allegedly happened at a seafood restaurant in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 13, 2024, and revolved around the cancellation of mining exploration licences.

‘Cannot recall conversation’

Earlier today, Kitingan denied the accusation, adding he could not “really recall” having a conversation with Tei over a sum of money as depicted in the video.

Kitingan said the conversation appeared to be about political donations “years ago before the election” and claimed they had nothing to do with the mining scandal that implicated a slew of Sabah assemblypersons.

Following the denial, Tei produced an alleged support letter from Kitingan for a sand mining licence application in Balambangan Island.

In the alleged letter dated April 25, 2022, addressed to Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor, Kitingan had allegedly vouched for the sand mining licence application in Balambangan Island in Sabah, which is a joint venture effort with Yayasan Sabah.

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