The videos, leaked by a purported whistleblower, has led to Sabah Umno demanding the resignation of chief minister Hajiji Noor.
Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin, who sources say is eyeing the chief minister’s post, however insisted the call for Hajiji to resign was about paving the way for a transparent investigation by the authorities.
Another source who did not wish to be named told FMT that the alleged mining scandal was a well-coordinated effort by Umno to topple Hajiji’s administration.
In calling for Hajiji’s resignation, Sabah Umno Youth chief Sufian Abd Karim said as chief minister and the person in charge of state affairs, Hajiji must take full responsibility for the matter.
Bung’s son, Naim Kurniawan Moktar, who is Umno Youth treasurer, has also called for Hajiji to step down and for deputy chief minister Jeffrey Kitingan to head an interim government.
Sabah Barisan Nasional, which is chaired by Bung, yesterday dared Hajiji and the assemblymen implicated in the video to sue the whistleblower.
Umno Sabah information chief Suhaimi Nasir has since denied that Umno is the mastermind behind the claims about the alleged mining scandal.
Bung, who was once part of Hajiji’s Cabinet, also brushed off the insinuation that the scandal was part of a strategy to oust the chief minister.
“This is not about unseating Hajiji. It is about public interest and taking responsibility,” he told FMT, adding that Sabahans were “confused” and that to date there has been no inquiry into the alleged scandal.
Hajiji, on the other hand, said his government has never issued any licences despite videos implicating assemblymen from the state allegedly discussing bribes. He said the videos were “edited and maliciously distributed” in a desperate measure aimed at tarnishing the government’s reputation.
The youth wing of Hajiji’s party, Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah also pointed out that none of the videos implicate their president.
Hajiji’s supporters, in dismissing calls for his resignation, pointed out that Bung himself took on the deputy chief minister’s post while embroiled in his own corruption case.
Bung was charged in 2019, with two counts of receiving bribes of over RM2.2 million to obtain Felcra’s approval to invest RM150 million in Public Mutual unit trusts. A year later, he was named as one of Sabah’s deputy chief ministers.
Bung said it was irrelevant that no one has been hauled to court, adding that the buck stops with Hajiji.
“The video shows many ministers involved. Someone must take responsibility. And if I’m being honest, as the Sabah Umno chief, I want him to take responsibility.”
Bung said Hajiji himself could have instructed the authorities to commence an investigation into those named in the video.
When asked who should succeed Hajiji if the latter were to resign, Bung refrained from endorsing any candidate, stating that it is not his place to decide.
“I’m not in the government, it’s up to them (the government of the day). Some have mentioned Jeffrey Kitingan but that is not from me.”
To a question of whether he would be willing to take over from Hajiji, Bung said “I will consider”.