Kitingan S Aide Rejects Graft Claims From Deliberately Staged Video

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The aide to Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Jeffrey Kitingan, implicated in the ongoing mining corruption scandal, has denied any involvement in the controversy.
ADSRizal Johari, who serves as Kitingan’s private secretary, rejected allegations of corruption and described the latest video of him speaking with businessperson Albert Tei as part of a campaign to ruin the image of state leaders.
“The latest video is not evidence of wrongdoing but yet another orchestrated campaign to tarnish the reputation of Sabah’s leadership,” he said in a statement today.
On Sept 25, MACC spent three hours questioning Rizal, while his boss spent five hours with the graftbusters after a video showing Kitingan talking with Tei was published on Malaysiakini.
Tei had alleged the Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) president had received the largest payout of all.
Sabah DCM and Star president Jeffrey KitinganThe businessperson told Malaysiakini that the sum purportedly given to the veteran politician, who is also the Keningau MP, was RM1.78 million - higher than the RM1.6 million figure mentioned in the clip.
The meeting, captured at a seafood restaurant in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 13, 2024, revolved around the cancellation of mining exploration licences. In it, Tei details alleged payments made to Kitingan.
Earlier today, Tei released yet another video on the news portal, this time of Rizal in conversation with Tei over money exchanging hands.
Rizal claimed the footage was “deliberately staged”, with repeated references to money intended to create a false impression of corrupt dealings.
‘Tei not acting alone’
He alleged the release was timed to sway voters and benefit certain political figures.
Businessperson Albert TeiRizal further suggested Tei was not acting alone but was “under order or protection from powerful individuals”.
“Whoever they are, let it be clear that they are the real enemies of Sabah,” he added.
Rizal stressed that he would take legal action, saying he had “full confidence in the legal system”.
He insisted that neither he nor Kitingan would be deterred by what he described as “dirty tricks” in the run-up to the state polls. - Mkini

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