Smm Says Conditional Nod For Farhash Linked Firm Scrapped To Sue Media

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Sabah Mineral Management Sdn Bhd (SMM) said it granted conditional permission to apply for a prospecting licence to Bumi Suria Sdn Bhd, but it was later cancelled after the company failed to submit the required documents.
It said that on March 24, after the company had failed to file the required documents, it issued an official letter of cancellation, which it accused MalaysiaNow of malicious omission.
“SMM cautions all media platforms and individuals against reproducing or referring to the publication by MalaysiaNow, which is demonstrably false, misleading, and defamatory.
“SMM has also instructed its solicitors to initiate defamation proceedings against MalaysiaNow and every subsequent portal that republishes the same,” it said in a statement today.
It accused the portal of biased and one-sided coverage in an attempt to frame SMM.
On July 21, SMM denied that any company linked to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s former aide Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak was granted a prospecting licence in the state.
Yesterday, MalaysiaNow published an audio clip tied to the allegation that a coal mining exploration licence in Sabah was approved for a company linked to Farhash.
On July 21, the portal published documents allegedly proving that Farhash received authorisation to prospect for minerals across a massive forest reserve in Sabah.
Farhash had dismissed the report as fake, slapping MalaysiaNow with a legal letter and lodging a police report against the portal.
However, the portal responded to the legal letter by saying that it would not retract the original report.
ADSNo rights to issue licence
SSM condemned MalaysiaNow for the publication of audio recordings that mislabelled a voice as belonging to the government-linked company’s CEO Natasha Sim.
It also clarified that its role is strictly limited to issuing conditional permission to apply for a prospecting licence.
“SMM does not have legal rights to issue any form of prospecting licence.
“Under the Sabah Mining Ordinance 1960, this jurisdiction lies with the Sabah Lands and Surveys Department.
“As confirmed by the department director in a press statement dated July 24, no prospecting licence or any other mineral-related licence has ever been issued to Bumi Suria,” it asserted.
Sabah mineral prospecting licences are the subject of a massive corruption scandal, after multiple assemblypersons, including state ministers, were caught on video discussing alleged bribes with businessperson Albert Tei - who later blew the whistle on the alleged deals. - Mkini

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