November 18, 2024
KUALA LUMPUR – WHEN observing the political scandal playing out in Sabah, note that the secretly filmed videos are a sideshow. The main show is the power play to bring down Sabah’s Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
The video exposé of YBs (assemblymen) talking about receiving bribes with a businessman claiming to be a whistleblower is juicy. That’s the “noise” (perception game) the public sees. But juicier still are the silent moves afoot to bring down Hajiji.
“Is Y in the game?” I asked a political contact who is friends with almost all Sabahan politicians.
“Y is in all games,” he said.
So far, four Sabahan politicians with the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government have allegedly been implicated in videos released by the businessman, who applied for whistleblower status from the Malaysian Anti-Corrup-tion Commission (MACC) on Oct 30.
Let’s get to the basics. What is the reason for the well-planned video releases? Is it to expose corruption because the so-called whistleblower/businessman hates corruption? Is it revenge because several prospecting licences (PLs) were not renewed? Is it to bring down Hajiji’s government and install a chief minister who will renew the PLs?
The so-called whistleblower himself told the news portal, to which he has exclusively given his videos, that the YBs in the videos were filmed accepting bribes from him to support his application for a mining exploration license. In other words, the whistleblower is a bribe-giving crook.
Under the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010, an individual involved in improper conduct (such as giving bribes) cannot obtain protection and immunity. Section 11(1) of the Act stipulates that enforcement agencies can revoke a whistleblower’s protection if they find that the whistleblower was also involved in the misconduct disclosed.
The businessman is part of a syndicate comprising retired top enforcement officers (some with backgrounds in political intelligence gathering) and an inside man who manages mineral resources in Sabah. The syndicate, headed by a Tan Sri, has espionage know-how (eg, a spy pen that can record HD videos) and a strategy (using a well-meaning news portal to release videos to push the corruption narrative).
“It is a plot done by people with a political intelligence background and not by politicians. If it were by V, it wouldn’t be well-executed as he doesn’t have the brains for it,” my political contact told me, adding that the syndicate initiated the game and later roped in politicians who want to regain power in Sabah.
The YBs in the videos look like they’re accepting political donations. In Malaysia, there are no clearly defined regulations on political funding, so a politician or a political party could receive contributions without limit and from sources that are not disclosed (which is why many NGOs have long been calling for a political financing reform law).
The inside joke is that the only crime the YBs committed is getting friendly with a businessman who gives off crook vibes. However, the public perception is terrible. It looks like there’s corruption involved. The public has been fed a video that the syndicate edited to show the “worst” of the subjects. In fact, the businessman, whose identity has been kept a secret, actually told the portal that videos he handed over had been edited.
Of course, the selectively edited videos are aimed at making the subjects look their worst. So far four have been released; there are 16 more videos but the businessman will not release some of them for tactical reasons.
Even MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki has questioned why the so-called whistleblower is providing the news outlet with high-definition videos whereas the MACC was given a 17-second “kurang jelas” (not clear) audio clip.
“This is an uncalled for trick,” Azam said.
So, is this a plot to bring down Hajiji’s government and install a chief minister who will renew the PLs? I’ll introduce a new question: How would you bring down the Hajiji government?
It can come from within. The GRS government can remain in power but with a change of chief minister. Hajiji can be promoted to Sabah Yang di-Pertua Negeri, and a president of a GRS component party can take over his post.
But the syndicate seems to have a different plan. It supposedly has the backing of a national political party that hopes to return to power in Sabah. To be exact, one faction in the party. However, another faction won’t be too pleased if its rival gets the CM post.
The businessman approached the YBs to demand they pay back the political donation and support V for CM. So far, I’m told the YBs are not buckling under pressure.
Hajiji supporters have told me that the Chief Minister is a political survivor. One quoted what Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said in February 2023, during his first official visit to Sabah as Prime Minister.
“Hajiji, even though he is known to be mild-mannered, has used some ‘silat’ moves, stayed in power, and even has a majority now,” said Anwar during his address to the state’s civil service.
Team Hajiji is confident that Putrajaya will support it in the coming political storm. Well, I would caution team members to watch their backs.
If someone from a non-Sabah political party gets the CM post, will he eventually kill current Sabahan demands for its Malaysia Agreement 1963 rights to be honoured?