The Sabah scandal: is it about minerals or power?

Sabah first: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor (left) and Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan (second right) unveiling the Rural Agricultural Economic Revolution banner during the recent Kaamatan Festival 2025 launch in Tambunan.

AND just like that, the Sabah minerals controversy took a twist. It was a classic Langkah Billiards, which is my theory of the unintended consequences of creating a political plot to bring down Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, and his Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government.

On June 28, less than 48 hours before two Sabah YBs and the so-called whistleblower were charged with corruption, six politicians from GRS were implicated. It seemed to me that the intention of revealing their names was the extension of a plot to make the Sabah-based coalition guilty in the court of public perception.