KOTA KINABALU, Feb 18 — Two Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) assemblymen linked to a corruption scandal over mining licences said they felt vindicated after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said that the leaked videos were heavily edited and “lacked credibility”.
Kemabong assemblyman Datuk Rubin Balang and Sindumin assemblyman Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob both said that they believed they were innocent from the start, and are grateful that MACC’s statement came to the same conclusion.
“So from the start, I saw that I had no wrongdoing in terms of any activities. And thankfully, when the authorities investigated, they found that there was no wrongdoing and no integrity in that video.
“If we don’t trust in authority that is MACC who else can we trust? I am confident that they have carried out their duties responsibly, and what they have shared is the truth of what really happened,” Rubin said.
Rubin said that it was clear that the move to publicise the video was maliciously intended to smear their names and reputations.
Meanwhile, Sindumin state assemblyman Datuk Yusof Yacob said it was the right outcome given that there was no evidence of wrongdoing in the attempted whistleblower attempt.
“What are the criteria for corruption? First, there must be a donor, whose face you can see. Second, there should be a receiver. Third, there must be evidence of money received.
“If there are three, that’s enough. But here there is only a video, which was edited,” said Dr Yusof.
The chairman of Khazanah Sabah Berhad said that the MACC has addressed the public’s scrutiny, so there should be no issue any more.
“We want to close the case, so we can work. I hope that the people can evaluate for themselves and see this was the work of a toxic mind,” he said.
Recently, MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the videos, revolving around prospecting mining licences in Sabah could not be relied on by its investigators.
Azam said they had been heavily edited and were not credible evidence that would be admissible in court.
Many GRS leaders, including two senior Cabinet members, were implicated in the videos.
The videos were published by news portal Malaysiakini obtained off the businessman whistleblower.
Last Friday, Penang DAP deputy chairman Ramkarpal Singh contended that the leaked videos, implicating several assemblymen, had revealed enough information for MACC to invoke various measures under the law, including the powers of search and seizure.
