Sabah Scandal Ex Macc Chief Slams Pm For Not Charging All Politicians

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Former MACC chief Latheefa Koya has criticised Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s explanation for the authorities’ decision to charge only two of the eight Sabah lawmakers implicated in the controversial state mining scandal.
This came after Anwar told Parliament yesterday that MACC could only prosecute the two because it needs a "strong case" in court.
He was responding to Beluran MP Ronald Kiandee, saying that this was based on the MACC's justification when he inquired about the matter, first exposed by whistleblower Albert Tei.
The businessperson was also charged along with the two Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) assemblypersons - Andi Suryady Bandy (Tanjung Batu) and Yusof Yacob (Sindumin).
In a statement today, Latheefa said Anwar’s defence of the failure to charge all eight assemblypersons means that his Madani government is “prepared to close one eye to corruption”.
“We have come full circle now; the so-called reformists are acting similarly to the old corrupt BN government that ruled till 2018.
"Anwar’s claim that the evidence against the other six assemblypersons was based on the video alone, is blatantly false.
“Tei had provided a 300-page dossier against them, over and above the video. It was never the ‘video alone,’” she said.
PM Anwar IbrahimThe lawyer pointed out that the dossier included bank transfer details, WhatsApp chats implicating them, exact locations and time data.
“The evidence is overwhelming," Latheefa, who previously represented Tei, added.
‘PM misleading Parliament’
ADSShe further reminded that the MACC also had direct oral evidence from Tei.
"How then can the prime minister tell Parliament that the only evidence was the video, and that it is ‘insufficient’? All the above evidence is not enough to bring charges?" she asked.
"It is a very serious matter for a sitting prime minister to knowingly mislead the Dewan Rakyat in this manner. He cannot claim not to know this; what was in Tei’s dossier is a matter of public knowledge.
“He would have received the MACC briefing as well before answering the question in Parliament," Latheefa said.
She also accused the government's anti-corruption stance of being a "big bluff", following Anwar's parliamentary remark.
Anwar yesterday 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. - Mkini

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