Sabah corruption scandal hits PM Anwar’s office after whistle-blower’s claims

Malaysian leader said to have masterminded secret recordings of Sabah assemblymen

- Hadi Azmi and Muzliza Mustafa Malaysia Correspondents

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been drawn into Sabah’s long-simmering mining scandal, just days before the state heads to the polls, after a whistle-blower at the centre of the affair alleged that the Premier masterminded the scheme.

Several prominent Sabah assemblymen have been progressively exposed on hidden camera since November 2024, allegedly discussing bribes worth hundreds of thousands of ringgit with whistle-blower Albert Tei in exchange for a licence to mine.

The mining scandal has emerged as a key issue ahead of the Sabah state election polling day on Nov 29, which is expected to signal public support for Datuk Seri Anwar halfway through his first term in office.

The latest blow came hours after Mr Anwar’s senior political secretary Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin resigned on Nov 25. This followed fresh claims by Tei, a businessman from Sabah, that he had spent almost RM630,000 (S$198,000) in cash, home renovations, furnishings, premium cigars and tailored suits for Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar over several months, in exchange for support in the mining project.

A video dated Nov 21 surfaced soon after Mr Shamsul Iskandar’s resignation, purportedly showing his “proxy” — a young woman — telling Tei that the idea to covertly record the dealings involving the Sabah politicians originated from the Prime Minister’s Office and had Mr Anwar’s explicit blessing.

All the videos that have been made public were recorded by Tei using a pen with a hidden camera, as he sat down with the Sabah politicians in different settings and offered them the alleged bribes.

At least 14 Sabah politicians were recorded without their knowledge, with all dismissing the corruption allegations hurled by Tei.