Sabah assistant minister summoned by MACC as RM200,000 mining probe closes in on charges
KOTA KINABALU, June 23 — Another politician in the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah state administration has been summoned to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office here today, the latest development in the mining scandal that began last year.
According to news portal Info X, Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Assistant Minister Datuk Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy arrived at the MACC Sabah office at around 9am today, accompanied by two lawyers, to give his statement.
In December last year, a video of Andi was published by Malaysiakini showing him in discussion with a businessman over the procurement of a mining licence.
Andi, who is from Barisan Nasional, is the Kalabakan MP and Tanjung Batu state assemblyman.
Last week, MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said that three individuals, including two state assemblymen, are expected to be charged later this month as officers begin the process of arrest.
Aside from Andi, two other men have been named in media reports as those who may be charged.
Sindumin assemblyman Datuk Yusof Yacob — who heads the state's investment arm Qhazanah Sabah Berhad — was questioned by MACC Sabah for nearly four hours last Wednesday.
The third individual expected to face charges is businessman Albert Teh, who had brought forward the series of videos that sparked the prospecting licence scandal.
The alleged corrupt activities are believed to have taken place between 2023 and 2024, involving bribes totalling around RM200,000 in exchange for assistance in processing mineral exploration licence applications.
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