Hajiji Insists Sabah Govt Stood Firm Against Cartels In Mining Scandal

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The incumbent GRS-led Sabah state government had to stand firm against “cartels” allegedly attempting to manipulate and monopolise the state’s mineral licence application process, according to caretaker chief minister Hajiji Noor.
The GRS chairperson, who had been accused of receiving a bribe in connection with the mining scandal, reportedly said the state government set up Sabah Mineral Management Sdn Bhd to oversee all mineral resources, and that all licence approvals were subject to a legitimate and transparent process.
According to online portal Free Malaysia Today, Hajiji said the licensing application process was equipped to detect any attempt at manipulation, with safeguards in place to flag irregular practices.
“We identified numerous irregularities during the submission of prospecting licence applications,” the Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah president was quoted as saying.
ADSMACC chairperson Azam Baki previously said Hajiji was not involved in the scandal exposed last year by businessperson Albert Tei, who has so far also implicated over a dozen Sabah assemblypersons, two of whom have been charged.
Albert TeiElaborating, Hajiji reportedly said there were cases where applicants, colluding with senior government officials, had used up to 10 different companies to secure licences.
He did not mention any names in the FMT report, but was quoted as saying that “one particular individual from West Malaysia had attempted to exploit the system.”
“He came here acting like he knew everything and wanted to take advantage of us. That is not something we will allow,” he stressed.
He also chastised the denials made by those implicated in the scandal. “In court, they denied responsibility (for paying bribes). If so, which ghost paid them out?”
Apart from two elected representatives - Andi Suryady Bandy (Tanjung Batu) and Yusof Yacob (Sindumin) - Tei had also been charged for offering the bribes allegedly received by the duo.
‘An attempt to topple govt’
Meanwhile, Hajiji further said all licence applications were vetted by a committee he chaired, which included the state secretary, the state attorney-general, the director of lands and surveys, and other relevant officers.
“If an application was improperly submitted, we would reject it,” he said.
He then accused certain quarters of alleged attempts to topple his administration by politicising the state government’s decision to reject “unreasonable” applications.
“Various allegations were hurled, including that some were on the take,” he said, adding that many of the claims made were malicious and untrue.
Hajiji also insisted that much of the criticism levelled at his administration stemmed from prospecting licences that had already expired and therefore lapsed automatically.
ADSHe said the state government’s priority was to ensure that Sabah’s minerals were protected from being exploited by those with vested interests.
“As a chief minister, I cannot allow this (manipulation) to happen. If I spot something that isn’t right, I won’t approve (the licence).
“My determination to eradicate these cartels isn’t political. It stems from my sense of duty towards the interests of the state and her people,” said Hajiji, now in a five-cornered contest to defend his Sulaman seat.
Amid pressure on authorities to charge others implicated in the case, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim yesterday clarified that investigations into the remaining videos and a slew of documents submitted to the MACC have not been closed. - Mkini

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