Sabah corruption scandal hits PM Anwar’s office as videos and claims emerge
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Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim did not address the latest allegations levelled directly at him.
PHOTO: EPA
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KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been drawn into Sabah’s long-simmering land-mining scandal, just days before the state heads to the polls, after a whistle-blower at the centre of the affair alleged the premier masterminded the scheme.
Several prominent Sabah assemblymen had been progressively exposed on hidden camera, since November 2024, allegedly discussing bribes worth hundreds of thousands of ringgit with whistle-blower Albert Tei in exchange for a licence to mine.
The mining scandal has emerged as a key issue
The latest blow came hours after Mr Anwar’s senior political secretary Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin resigned on Nov 25.
A video dated Nov 21 surfaced soon after Mr Shamsul Iskandar’s resignation, purportedly showing his “proxy”, a young woman, telling Mr Tei that the idea to covertly record the dealings involving the Sabah politicians originated from the Prime Minister’s office and had the Prime Minister’s explicit blessing.
All the videos that had been made public were recorded by Mr Tei using a pen with a hidden camera, as he sat down with the Sabah politicians in different settings and offered them the alleged bribes.
At least 14 Sabah politicians were videotaped without their knowledge, with all dismissing the corruption allegations hurled by Mr Tei.
In the Nov 21 video, the “proxy” in the footage told Mr Tei: “Whatever he (Shamsul Iskandar) said is true, Anwar said to do it, it is true.” Her face is blurred out as she speaks from a sofa to Mr Tei, who remains off camera.
Her identity was disclosed as one Ms Sofia Rini Buyong by a text caption at the start of the video and has not been independently confirmed.
In the 6-minute-19-second clip
“I never betrayed him, I never mentioned the name of Shamsul Iskandar or the instruction from Anwar Ibrahim,” Mr Tei said, which the alleged proxy acknowledged.
His exposé on Mr Shamsul Iskandar, published by Malaysiakini, showed text messages by the senior political aide allegedly openly soliciting cash in pound sterling for a December 2023 trip to London, and US$10,000 (S$13,000) for an October 2024 trip to Baku, Azerbaijan over WhatsApp.
Mr Shamsul Iskandar was previously embroiled in a separate controversy involving a letter he issued to his counterpart in the Health Ministry recommending six construction firms for consideration in a tender to build a hospital in Muar, Johor.
Addressing his senior aide’s resignation, Mr Anwar said his government “remains steadfast in its principles of transparency and integrity”.
“Regarding the allegations that have arisen, I emphasise that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is free to conduct an immediate investigation, without any external interference,” he said in a statement on Nov 26.
The Prime Minister, however, did not address the latest allegations levelled directly at him.
Speaking to The Straits Times, political analyst Tunku Mohar Mokhtar from the International Islamic University Malaysia said Mr Anwar could not simply brush off the claims as they taint the country’s highest office.
“The manner in which his middle man – the senior political secretary – handled this matter seriously questioned the integrity of the PM’s office,” Mr Mohar added.
He said the allegations went beyond the Sabah election and undermined Mr Anwar’s vocal stance in condemning corruption.
“If it is true, then the PM’s image is badly tarnished,” Mr Mohar noted.
Mr Anwar, who became Prime Minister in late 2022, built his platform on a promise to reform Malaysia and was among the country’s fiercest critics of corruption, having called out the scandal involving state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd as early as 2010, just a year after the scheme was launched.
Since coming to power, he has taken aim at political rivals as well as the “uber rich”, including the late former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, alleging that their wealth was ill-gotten.
Academic-turned-government critic James Chin said the public had expected a crackdown on corruption under Mr Anwar’s watch.
“But now we have corruption that is directly linked to Anwar because this person is his right-hand man,” he told ST.
The MACC said it would launch an immediate probe into Mr Tei’s latest claims against Mr Shamsul Iskandar, adding that both individuals would be summoned for investigation.
Commission chief Tan Sri Azam Baki said others would also be called to assist the probe.
“In this regard, the public is advised not to engage in any speculation about this matter and to allow MACC the space to conduct its investigation to collect statements and evidence related to these allegations,” Mr Azam added.
Despite the allegations, members of Mr Anwar’s government and coalition parties closed ranks and cast doubt on the claims, calling them an election-season smear attack and a “cheap political gimmick”.
Speaking to ST on the sidelines of campaigning in Kota Kinabalu, Deputy Minister of Plantation and Commodities Chan Foong Hin said they would not let any “last-minute development, allegation or scandal” distract from their campaign.
“With just two days left before polling, let’s stay focused on the campaign,” added Mr Chan, who said the issue blew up while he was on stage rallying voters in Tanjung Aru.
“Don’t be swayed by these accusations because I personally believe they are very likely politically motivated.”
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