Warisan leader demands GRS state position on Armizan graft claims
Warisan supreme council member Calvin Chong today told Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) to state its position on the corruption allegations faced by Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Armizan Mohd Ali.
The Elopura assemblyperson said GRS politicians cannot rely on the principle “innocent until proven guilty in court” as an excuse to remain silent or avoid responsibility.
Another Sabah leader has been accused of being involved in a scandal related to mineral exploration activities in the state.
A Sabah Umno leader today challenged Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Armizan Ali to come clean about two viral photographs that allegedly showed him meeting an Indonesian mining corporation in 2023.
This came after the Papar MP denied allegations that he was involved in an alleged corruption scandal involving mineral exploration projects in Sabah.
Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali has strongly denied the allegations and vowed to take legal action.
“I will take legal action by lodging a police report, based on the WhatsApp message that was sent to me,” the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister and Papar member of parliament wrote on his Facebook page.
The claims surfaced following the viral spread of messages involving Armizan in the scandal which also implicated 18 other Sabah assemblymen.
“I was informed about these defamatory messages circulating on social media during this month of Ramadhan,” Armizan added.
He confirmed that one of those responsible for spreading the false information was a former elected representative, who allegedly sent the messages to several individuals.
Armizan did not name the individual but social media posts have mentioned a “Datuk Z” as allegedly responsible for spreading the claims.
The posts suggest that Armizan was involved in negotiations between an Indonesian firm and Sabah Mineral Management Sdn Bhd (SMM) regarding mineral exploration licences.
The messages further claim that the minister received millions in bribes from the Indonesian company, owned by a billionaire tycoon, in exchange for his role in the alleged deal.
One of the viral posts even included photos of Armizan and SMM representatives supposedly visiting the Indonesian company’s office in Jakarta in May 2023.
The 18 Sabah assemblymen who were earlier accused of corruption, had been summoned by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to give their statements.
MACC chief Tan Sri Azam Baki had stated that investigation into the corruption claims in videos had not been closed even though he previously cited a lack of credible information as a hindrance to the investigation, stating that earlier videos were heavily edited and unreliable.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor had said that the allegations in the videos are aimed at tarnishing the government’s image and himself as its leader. — The Borneo Post
Source : Malay Mail
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