KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Umno has dismissed claims that it is behind the alleged bribery scandal involving mining licences that appears to implicate some Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) leaders.
Its chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said the problem involved a businessman and certain state leaders.
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"How is it that we are behind it? It (involves) the businessman and GRS leaders," Bung Moktar said when contacted Friday (Nov 15).
He said the matter should be left to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate.
He said certain bloggers as well as social media users were trying to say that Umno and Barisan Nasional are behind the developing issue.
"It has nothing to do with us, it is their (GRS) problem.
"MACC should complete investigations quickly and take action on all those involved," Bung Moktar said.
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A businessman who is seeking whistleblower protection claims that he has secretly taken videos with Sabah assemblymen which purportedly show corrupt practices.
The businessman made his revelations via a news portal and has uploaded two videos of GRS' Kemabong assemblyman Datuk Rubin Balang and Tempasuk assemblyman Datuk Mohd Arsad Bistari.
Conversations in the two videos were seen as general discussions between the businessman and politicians with no specific references to alleged bribes involving the mining deals.
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Former state mining company chief executive officer Jontih Enggihon went on the record in a video to accuse Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor of abusing his power by making politically driven decisions in issuing the licences.
The Sabah government immediately lodged a report with the MACC on Tuesday (Nov 12), the same day the video was uploaded by the news portal.
Hajiji called for a full investigation of the claims and asked for the arrest of the businessman who he claimed had ulterior motives.
