Too Little Info Hampering Probe Into Sabah Scandal Macc Chief

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MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki has stated that the biggest challenge in investigating the alleged Sabah corruption scandal is the lack of sufficient information.
Emphasising that there is no political interference in the case, he said: “The person said to be the whistleblower is still unwilling to share the videos with us.”
“What has been published (in Malaysiakini) is ‘terlalu sedikit’ (too little),” he told Astro Awani.
Azam noted that the lack of information makes it difficult for MACC to conduct a thorough investigation.
“All we can do for now is record explanations from both sides. To me, it is not fair to blame the Sabah government and claim they did not follow the law,” he added.
In response to fresh allegations that there was an offer to settle the matter, Azam assured that investigations would be completed as soon as possible.
He also stressed the need for a substantial pool of witnesses to build a strong case.
“After the new issue (the alleged settlement offer) was reported, I instructed my officers to continue their investigations by summoning the relevant witnesses for questioning,” he added.
Videos, WhatsApp screenshots implicate leaders
Since November, Malaysiakini has published more than eight videos and a flood of WhatsApp screenshots related to the case.
The whistleblower, a businessperson, claimed that the videos captured discussions about bribes he offered to several assemblypersons in exchange for mineral exploration licences.
During the discussions, the assemblypersons, including those with senior portfolios, also implicated Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor in allegedly distributing licences as “gifts” in exchange for their support during the state’s 2022 political crisis.
Hajiji has dismissed the allegations as an attempt to tarnish his administration, suggesting that the whistleblower is collaborating with parties with vested interests.
On Feb 5, the whistleblower’s lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, revealed that his client still has more than half a dozen videos in his possession and additional screenshots of WhatsApp messages.
Previously, Azam’s predecessor, Latheefa Koya, said the videos published by Malaysiakini showed “clear evidence” of corruption and completely satisfied the definition of “gratification” under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009. - Mkini

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