PGRS information chief Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan said the manner in which Tei went about applying for prospecting licences raised many questions, including as to whether “shortcuts” were taken to secure the requisite approvals, including through the falsification of documents.
According to Nizam, Tei is alleged to have applied for the licences to mine close to one million acres in total, using 20 companies.
Nizam described Tei’s “venture” as a covert bid to gain control over Sabah’s natural resources.
“If an individual uses 20 companies to apply for more than 20 prospecting licenses to mine minerals, people will ask questions,” Nizam told FMT.
Nizam, who serves as an assistant minister to caretaker chief minister Hajiji Nor, also said the findings of an internal audit revealed that Tei was linked to the falsification of documents and abuse of power in Sabah Mineral Management Sdn Bhd (SMM), a state government agency.
He said the findings prompted SMM to dismiss its then CEO, Jontih Enggihon, amid suspicions that he had assisted Tei in the licence applications.
“This was what happened. The scandal was Tei’s doing, not the state government.”
Tei, in a recent podcast, claimed that the mining controversy was a scam masterminded by Sabah politicians.
He further alleged that prospecting licences were awarded based on political connections rather than merit.
Hajiji cleared of wrongdoing
Nizam added that, based on videos leaked by Tei implicating several assemblymen, it was evident that there was no abuse of authority by Hajiji or his state government.
He went on to urge the public against being influenced by the narrative propagated by Tei, who Nizam said was desperately trying to “cover-up” his actions.
Tei had previously tried to position himself as a whistleblower in the affair.
Yesterday, Nizam said Tei was not the whistleblower he had claimed to be, but rather the mastermind behind the mining scandal. He said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission had rejected Tei’s bid to be recognised as a whistleblower on account of the fact that he had himself participated in certain wrongdoings.
In criticising Tei, Nizam said the businessman was attempting to spin the narrative to suggest that the government was victimising him. “In fact, he was the main culprit who abused the mining licence system.”
On June 30, Tei claimed trial to two charges of giving a total of RM350,000 in bribes to two assemblymen in connection with mineral prospecting licence applications in Sabah.
He is accused of giving RM150,000 and RM200,000 in bribes to assistant state industrial development and entrepreneurship minister Andi Suryady Bandy and Sindumin assemblyman Dr Yusof Yacob, respectively.
The assemblymen also claimed trial to accepting the bribes.
In the lead up to the court cases, MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki confirmed that the state government had extended its full cooperation without interfering in the investigations, which eventually cleared Hajiji of any wrongdoing.