Sabah mineral licence bribery

The Sabah mineral licence bribery issue emerged in late 2024 following the circulation of leaked video recordings that allegedly showed Sabah state assemblymen discussing or accepting payments related to mineral exploration licences. This prompted the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to launch an investigation into potential corruption in the awarding of mining licences in Sabah. Over the course of 2025, the MACC pursued several lines of inquiry. In July 2025, Rafizi Ramli called for the MACC to investigate former Prime Minister’s aide Farhash Wafa over alleged links to Sabah mining licences. However, by September 2025, the MACC chief stated multiple times that no case was found against Farhash Wafa or his linked firms in the Sabah mineral exploration probe, and the probe into him was closed. Separately, the investigation focused on businessman Albert Tei and two Sabah assemblymen. In March 2025, the MACC probe into Sabah assemblymen over bribery claims was described as still ongoing. By June 2025, two Sabah representatives and Albert Tei pleaded not guilty to bribery charges over mining licences. In July 2025, Albert Tei was hit with a fresh RM64,924 bribery charge related to an ex-PM’s aide, Shamsul Iskandar. Throughout late 2025, multiple media outlets reported that Albert Tei’s mineral licence graft trial in Sabah had been set for April 2026. In addition, the MACC proposed five improvements for Sabah land and mineral licence approvals in October 2025, indicating broader reform efforts linked to the scandal. The case remains ongoing, with the trial pending.