Court Dismisses Gag Order To Bar Albert From Humiliating Sabah Cm

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The Kota Kinabalu Corruption Court has dismissed a gag order application sought against businessperson Albert Tei to bar him from making “humiliating” statements against Sabah chief minister Hajiji Noor.
Defence counsel Ram Singh made the application at a pre-trial case management yesterday before judge Jason Juga.
Ram was representing Sindumin assemblyperson Yusof Yacob and Tanjung Batu assemblyperson Andi Suryady Bandy in their corruption case, where they were jointly charged with Tei (above).
Tei’s lawyer Edward Paul said that the duo had sought the gag order against his client so that he would not only stop “humiliating” Hajiji, but also other parties the businessperson had mentioned in press conferences and anyone he believes is against him.
“In this respect, a gag order can only be issued by the court to deter Tei from making prejudicial comments to the public on the case against him with the aim of safeguarding the integrity of the criminal proceeding at hand.
“Making comments about the three groups of people mentioned in the application does not in any manner affect the due process of the criminal trial.
“(But instead this) application for a blanket order to stop him from mentioning anything about the chief minister, any other persons mentioned in the previous press conference and most interestingly anyone whom he thinks is against him, which is extensive, subjective and clearly an attempt to abuse the court process,” Edward said in a statement.
CM Hajiji NoorThe lawyer added that the court is not the right avenue to restrict someone from speaking up about any other person who is not a party to the ongoing criminal trial.
Such an application, he added, goes against Tei’s freedom of speech guaranteed under the Federal Constitution.
“The court made the right decision to dismiss the application on the ground that it does not affect the due process of the court,” Edward said.
Bribe charges
Tei, 37, was jointly charged with Yusof, 69 and Andi, 44, on June 30, at the Corruption Court over alleged cash payments linked to mineral prospecting licence applications.
All three had pleaded not guilty.
According to the charge sheets, Yusof allegedly accepted RM200,000 in cash from Tei at a Kota Kinabalu hotel on March 6, 2023 while Andi is accused of receiving RM150,000 in cash from Tei on May 12, 2023, outside his residence.
Tanjung Batu assemblyperson Andi Suryady Bandy (left) and Sindumin assemblyperson Yusof YacobTei is facing charges of offering bribes to both assemblypersons under Section 16(b)(A) of the MACC Act 2009, carrying a penalty of up to 20 years’ jail and fines of not less than five times the bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
At the same proceeding yesterday, Jason granted Yusof and Andi’s application to temporarily reclaim their passports, under the condition that they keep investigating officers informed of their travel plans and that they must return their passports on or before Jan 23, 2026.
The judge also fixed October 24 for the next mention of Tei’s case.
Tei, at his press conference after the court proceeding yesterday, had accused MACC of harbouring “rats” who leaked his confidential testimony to Hajiji.
He had lodged two reports, one with the police under the Official Secrets Act and Section 203A of the Penal Code for disclosing confidential information, and another with MACC for alleged abuse of power.
He claimed that the leak indicated there was interference from Hajiji in the MACC investigation and that he would no longer cooperate with the graftbusters until the leak was addressed. - Mkini

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