PBS No 2 denies alleged links to Sabah mining scandal
PETALING JAYA : Parti Bersatu Sabah deputy president Jahid Jahim has denied allegations that he had accepted a RM150,000 bribe in the alleged mining scandal in the state.
Jahid, who is the Sabah rural development minister, said the allegations published in a Malaysiakini report were unfounded and irresponsible, The Borneo Post reported.
He maintained that he had never received funds for the approval or issuance of mining licences in the state and that his ministry was not responsible for processing such licences.
'As the assemblyman for Tamparuli, I wish to state unequivocally that no prospecting licence or any other licence related to mining has been approved or issued in my constituency,' said the four-term assemblyman.
He claimed that certain parties were abusing news portals to fabricate false allegations of corruption, often before any official investigation had been held.
'This attempt by Malaysiakini to manufacture a false narrative is an outright violation of the law. It invites the public to pass judgment before the due process has run its course,' he said.
He said he is seeking legal advice and reserves the right to pursue legal action against Malaysiakini and the two journalists involved in the report.
The alleged scandal was reported last year after a series of videos linking several Sabah assemblymen to it were leaked.
The videos allegedly depicted discussions involving bribery and misconduct related to mineral exploration projects in the state.
Yesterday, Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) president Jeffrey Kitingan denied a Malaysiakini report alleging he received RM1.78 million in connection with the alleged scandal.
The deputy chief minister said he reserved the right to take legal action against the news portal over the 'irresponsible and damaging' report.
This morning, Sabah assistant industrial development and entrepreneurship minister Andi Suryady Bandy, Sindumin assemblyman Yusof Yacob and businessman Albert Tei were charged with receiving and giving RM350,000 in bribes related to mineral prospecting licence applications in the state.
Andi, of Umno, and Yusof, of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, were charged with receiving RM200,000 and RM150,000 in bribes, respectively, while Tei was charged with giving the bribes.
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