THREE individuals, two of them assemblymen, will be charged in connection with the Sabah mining scandal, said Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.
He said they would be charged before the end of June and presently graft busters are in the process of arresting a civilian suspect.
“There are two assemblymen involved, and one of the suspects — the civilian — is in the process of being arrested,” he told reporters at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sabah, where he delivered a keynote speech.
“They will be charged in court within this month — possibly at the end of the month. It depends on the (corruption) court’s schedule in Sabah,” he added.
It could not be ascertained who are the two Sabah assemblymen but several local media outlets have identified Sindumin rep Datuk Yusof Yacob as being one of them.
The report noted that graft busters have called Yusof for questioning at the Kota Kinabalu MACC office this morning.
The high-profile case centres on alleged corruption involving the exchange of political funding for mining approvals, with prospecting licences purportedly granted in return for the money channelled to at least eight Sabah assemblymen.
The case has drawn national attention following the circulation of several videos through an online news outlet that began late last year.
Meanwhile, Azam declined to discuss the authenticity of the video, citing legal constraints.
“That one I cannot discuss anymore because it will be sub-judice. I leave it to the Deputy Public Prosecutor to decide whether that evidence will be used in court.”
He also stressed that the investigation is not reliant on audiovisual evidence alone.
“We don’t just rely on that video — authentic or not. We gather other forms of evidence too. Machines may assist, but we need people to talk. Human verification remains critical.”
All three individuals have had their statements recorded under caution, and the MACC is working with prosecutors to secure court dates, he said.
“For now, three people will be charged. I don’t know what will happen in the future — let the DPP decide,” said Azam, hinting that the probe could widen beyond the eight politicians reportedly linked to the case.
Azam previously cited only two individuals would be charged in court over the scandal. - June 18, 2025
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