Tei claimed the blacklist was enforced by the Sabah government last month despite scheduled court proceedings that he needed to attend, Daily Express reported.

“If I cannot attend the case, the matter could be struck out. This would, in turn, benefit those who are facing charges,” he was quoted as saying outside the special corruption court in Kota Kinabalu today.

Tei is standing trial on two charges of giving RM350,000 in bribes to two assemblymen in relation to mineral prospecting licence applications in Sabah.

His lawyer, Mahajoth Singh, had said that Tei arrived at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport at 12.30pm on Sunday as he had to attend mention of the case in court the following day.

The businessman was detained upon arrival and told that he was barred from entering the state.

He was later allowed to enter and stay in Sabah for two days after showing documents proving he had court proceedings to attend, Mahajoth said.

Tei then claimed there were “rats” in MACC who had allegedly leaked his statement to the graft-busters to Sabah chief minister Hajiji Noor.

He claimed that Hajiji had referred to this statement at an event in December.

Tei later lodged police reports under the Official Secrets Act and Section 203A of the Penal Code for disclosure of information obtained in the performance of one’s duties.