He told FMT the viral video had been edited to give the public a false portrayal of his character.

“It’s part of a longer video,” he alleged. “Earlier, I was calm. I lost my cool after a while because I thought the officer was being difficult and inconsiderate.”

He said the altercation began as a discussion regarding the situation at the Kampung Air multipurpose hall, which was used as a temporary relief centre for victims of a recent fire in Sandakan.

SESB had cut off power supply to the hall because SMC owed it nearly RM3,000 in bills that had been unpaid for two years.

“I was told that the place inside was sweltering hot and then the SESB decided it was a good time to collect the unpaid bill,” Hii said, adding that he got angry when the officer refused to take the money and insisted that payment be made at the SESB office.

He said the situation called for flexibility on SESB’s part.

He accused those spreading the video of intending to smear his character and said he would sue them.

He named a local Chinese daily and a news portal as the main culprits.

“I have already consulted with my lawyer and I will sue them for calling me a gangster,” he said.

He claimed that one of his assistants had the full video.

Hii is a businessman from Sarawak whom Chief Minister Shafie Apdal picked last September to head SMC.

Several quarters criticised the appointment because he is not a Sabahan and has never served in the civil service before.

Last January, a copy of a trading licence bearing his name went viral. The implication was that he abused his power to approve the licence.

He explained that the licence was issued in 2018 by former SMC president James Wong and then renewed by the council’s deputy president, Hamsan Awang Supain.