In a statement, the wing’s chief Fairuz Renddan said the videos, which also feature several Sabah assemblymen, clearly show that Hajiji had decided to revoke a prospecting licence due to the existence of a cartel.
Fairuz also pointed out that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, which is probing the matter, has yet to summon Hajiji to have his statement taken.
This proves the chief minister is not involved at all in this case, he said.
“Therefore, legally, there is no basis for anyone to demand that the chief minister resign to allow for a fair and transparent investigation.”
Earlier today, Sabah Umno Youth called for Hajiji to step down as chief minister following a mining scandal allegedly involving several assemblymen from the state discussing bribes for a project licence.
The wing’s chief Sufian Abd Karim said that Hajiji, as chief minister and the person in charge of state affairs, must take full responsibility for the matter.
“Hajiji should step down as chief minister of Sabah to allow an independent and transparent investigation to proceed without interference from the administration,” he said in a statement.
Fairuz went on to remind Sabah Umno of “an assemblyman who once held the deputy chief minister’s post” and was charged with corruption.
“He never resigned from his post and recently he was ordered by the Court of Appeal to enter his defence,” he said, in a veiled dig at Bung Mokhtar.
Bung, Sabah’s deputy chief minister from 2020 to 2023, was charged on May 3, 2019 with two counts of receiving bribes of RM2.2 million and RM262,500 as an inducement to obtain Felcra’s approval to invest RM150 million in Public Mutual unit trusts.
MACC is currently probing an alleged corruption case involving mineral project licences, with links to a businessman said to have had dealings with several Sabah assemblymen.
The anti-graft agency has since summoned the former Sabah Mineral Management Sdn Bhd (SMM) CEO Jontih Enggihon.
Police and MACC reports have been filed against Jontih accusing him of colluding with a purported whistleblower said to be behind several videos alleging corruption involving several Sabah assemblymen. Jontih has since denied the allegations.
MACC has summoned five assemblymen to date to provide their statements.