Why No Action Against Me Tei Steps Up Pressure On Sabah Leaders

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Businessperson Albert Tei has questioned why no police reports or legal suits have been filed against him, if allegations linking several Sabah politicians to a mining licence scandal are untrue.
Hinting that the lack of such action against him solidifies his claims, Tei took aim at caretaker Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor for his recent remarks that the state government had to stand firm against “cartels”.
The Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) chairperson, who was connected to videos released by Tei allegedly of assemblypersons receiving bribes, reportedly claimed the cartels tried to manipulate and monopolise the state’s mineral licence application process.
“If (Hajiji) is innocent... why does he not lodge a police report or take defamation action against me?
“What is it, exactly, that makes him, as the chief minister who holds the highest authority in Sabah, feel afraid and worried about confronting me?” Tei posed in a statement today.
He stressed that if his allegations claiming that 15 “VVIPs” from GRS were involved in corrupt activities are “malicious and defamatory”, lawful action should have already been initiated against him.
Caretaker Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor“The GRS leaders involved in corruption are like ostriches burying their heads in the sand - pretending not to hear and not to see to avoid the issue.
“I have always been waiting for follow-up action from these 15 ‘VVIPs’, especially Hajiji, but until now they continue to ignore everything I have done,” Tei said.
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He theorised that the perceived lack of action could be due to how those accused “know” the whistleblower holds “various evidence, including other video recordings that will trouble them”.
Tei affirmed that if necessary, he is prepared to expose such material publicly or in court later.
In November last year, incumbent Tempasuk representative Arsad Bistari filed a police report denying the contents of a recording which implicated him in alleged corruption, with the GRS representative claiming his conversation in the recording was edited.
At the time, Malaysiakini received a call from a Kota Kinabalu police officer seeking cooperation from its reporter.
Tempasuk representative Arsad BistariIn February this year, incumbent Membakut assemblyperson Arifin Arif similarly lodged a police report against a Malaysiakini report where a whistleblower claimed he tried to broker a deal to “settle” the corruption scandal involving several assemblypersons.
Arifin, who is also the son-in-law of Sabah Governor Musa Aman, denounced the allegations as “inaccurate, misleading, and containing facts that are wrong and slanderous”.
Malaysiakini, however, has not been summoned to assist police investigations into Arifin’s report.
Possible contempt of court proceedings
Tei, the whistleblower who exposed the scandal last year, has so far implicated over a dozen assemblypersons, two of whom have been charged.
Apart from the two elected representatives - Andi Suryady Bandy (Tanjung Batu) and Yusof Yacob (Sindumin) - Tei was also charged with offering the bribes allegedly received by the duo.
Yesterday, in an interview with Free Malaysia Today, Hajiji reportedly chastised denials made by those implicated in the scandal, saying: “In court, they denied responsibility (for paying bribes). If so, which ghost paid them out?”
While Hajiji did not mention any names, Tei urged him to provide facts to back his accusation.
“What Hajiji has said is a very serious allegation, because he has manipulated my statement in court.
“If Hajiji fails to present evidence to support or substantiate his statement, it means his actions contain elements of manipulating facts of an ongoing trial,” Tei asserted.
He added that he will discuss the matter with his legal team, following which, further contempt of court proceedings might be filed against the incumbent Sulaman assemblyperson at the Kota Kinabalu Sessions Court. - Mkini

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