Warisan Dismisses Pbs Chief S Political Donation Claim Urges Macc To Act

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Warisan today took MACC to task for its alleged failure to investigate and prosecute Sabah politicians implicated in an alleged corruption scandal involving mining projects in the state.
This came after Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) acting president Joachim Gunsalam admitted he had received "political donations" from controversial businessperson Albert Tei but insisted that PBS did not ask for it.
"Joachim Gunsalam has now admitted the video is genuine. This means the recording that we have watched, discussed, and questioned is not fake. It is real. It happened.
"Even more damning is Gunsalam’s own statement saying 'we never asked him, he gave it first'. Such a remark is not an excuse. It is an admission that money was indeed given and received.
"It doesn’t matter who offered or who asked. Money changed hands between a businessperson and elected representatives. That is the textbook definition of corruption and abuse of power," said Warisan vice-president Terrence Siambun in a statement.
Earlier today, Malaysiakini carried a report where Gunsalam admitted the existence of a video recording which purportedly shows his conversation with Tei.
For the record, the recording has not been released publicly. However, a source had in June furnished Malaysiakini with screenshots purportedly taken from video recordings involving six politicians, one of them being Gunsalam.
The source claimed that Gunsalam had taken RM600,000 from Tei in exchange for supporting the businessperson's bid for a mining exploration licence.
PBS acting chief Joachim GunsalamHowever, Gunsalam, who is one of Sabah's deputy chief ministers, had downplayed the allegation, claiming the recording was taken out of context.
Gunsalam insisted that the wider controversy should be seen as an attempt by Tei to dominate Sabah’s mining sector through a network of proxy firms.
According to the state leader, any contribution Tei made was a voluntary political donation to PBS, not a bribe.
Any records?
On this, Siambun (above) questioned if there were any records of the supposed donations and if it was declared to PBS party members and authorities.
"Was it reported to the authorities as required by political funding laws and transparency standards? Or is this just a desperate attempt to rebrand an act of bribery as a 'donation'?
"Stop spinning. Stop insulting people's intelligence. What happened is bribery, plain and simple.
"Where is MACC? How much longer must we Sabahans wait? How many admissions, recordings, and confessions must surface before action is taken?" he said. - Mkini

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