Sabah DCM implicated in whistleblower’s fourth video
KOTA KINABALU: A businessman’s secretly taken videos of an alleged bribery scandal over mining licences went a notch higher when he released a conversation with a Deputy Chief Minister under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government.
The alleged conversation in the latest recording featuring Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, who is also state Works Minister, suggested that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor was aware of portions of money purportedly received by assemblymen.
When contacted, Shahelmey, who is Deputy Chief Minister III, said he had no immediate comments on the video, the fourth released by the businessman since applying for whistleblower status from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Oct 30.
The latest yet-to-be-authenticated video was uploaded around 3pm yesterday when state Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun was tabling the state Budget 2025 at the Sabah Legislative Assembly here.
The unidentified businessman, who is seeking whistleblower protection in connection with him allegedly paying bribes to assemblymen to get prospecting and mining licences, had told a news portal that the latest video was edited from the original.
He told the portal that he was willing to hand over the full unedited versions of the videos to investigators if he was granted whistleblower protection.
On the latest video, Hajiji told reporters to wait for the outcome of investigations into the issue.
“It is difficult to comment now ... I cannot comment, we’ll leave it to the investigations into the matter. This (is being done) by people with certain motives.
“These allegations are aimed at weakening the state government. I want to say that the GRS-Pakatan Harapan Plus is solid,” he told reporters after the state budget tabling.
Hajiji had on Wednesday called for a full investigation into the allegations and asked for the arrest of the businessman, who he claimed has ulterior motives.
The MACC has begun an investigation into the controversy after the Sabah government lodged a police report on Nov 12 against the former chief executive officer of Sabah Mineral Management Sdn Bhd, Jontih Enggihon.
Jontih has gone on record in a video to accuse Hajiji of politically driven abuse of power in the issuance of mining licences.
The businessman has linked his payoffs to the assemblymen shortly after Hajiji survived a political coup when Sabah Barisan Nasional led by Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin pulled out of the GRS coalition government in January 2023.
Shahelmey, who is suspended from Umno, was among several Sabah Umno assemblymen who backed Hajiji to remain as Chief Minister.
Prior to the Shahelmey video, Tempasuk assemblyman Datuk Mohd Arsad Bistari (former Umno member who joined the Hajiji-led party, Gagasan Rakyat) and Kemabong assemblyman Datuk Rubin Balang were also highlighted though the videos, which did not indicate any substantial evidence of corruption.
Meanwhile, in ABU DHABI, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Hajiji’s decision to leave it to the authorities to investigate the corruption allegations should be emulated by leaders of other political parties.
The Deputy Prime Minister, who is also Barisan chairman, hoped that the investigation would not disrupt the debate on the Sabah Budget 2025 or the upcoming state election.
“I have reviewed media reports on the recorded conversation and found that Hajiji’s stance should be upheld by other party leaders.
“As we know, the current term of the Sabah State Assembly will end in October 2025, and we should be prepared for any eventuality depending on the findings of the ongoing investigation by the authorities,” he told a press conference yesterday, Bernama reported.
