
MACC told to restore public confidence in mining probe
Published on: Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Published on: Tue, Jun 17, 2025 Text Size: Rahimah said the commission should provide a public update on the status of investigations involving all individuals named by the whistleblower and urgently introduce external oversight, either through a Parliamentary Select Committee on Corruption or the creation of an Independent Anti-Corruption Ombudsman. Kota Kinabalu: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) must take immediate steps to restore public confidence by ensuring transparency in its Sabah mining scandal probe, says Sabah Bersatu Women Chief Rahimah Majid. Rahimah said the commission should provide a public update on the status of investigations involving all individuals named by the whistleblower and urgently introduce external oversight, either through a Parliamentary Select Committee on Corruption or the creation of an Independent Anti-Corruption Ombudsman.
Advertisement 'These steps are essential to rebuild trust. Malaysians deserve full clarity on who is being investigated, and they need to see that no one is above the law,' she asserted. Her remarks follow MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki's recent statement confirming that at least two individuals are expected to be charged soon in connection with alleged bribery tied to a controversial mining project in Sabah. However, the whistleblower who initially exposed the scandal claims that at least eight other individuals were involved, raising serious concerns about the completeness of the current investigations. 'The people must be assured that justice is being applied fairly. It's troubling if only a few individuals are held accountable when more names have reportedly been submitted to the MACC,' she said. She stressed that the scandal extends beyond state-level politics, highlighting it as a national test of Malaysia's commitment to transparency, accountability, and equal justice. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Malay Mail
19 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
MACC backs new Government Procurement Bill to boost enforcement and tighten oversight
PUTRAJAYA, June 21 — The Government Procurement Bill, scheduled to be tabled in Parliament this year, is expected to strengthen punitive legal action against parties found guilty of offences related to government procurement. The bill also aims to establish a specific legal framework to regulate the government procurement process, in addition to detailing the powers of stakeholders and enhancing check-and-balance mechanisms to ensure good governance in line with international best practices. The proposal and draft structure of the bill were presented by the Government Procurement Division of the Ministry of Finance, led by its secretary Datuk Norison Ramli, during an engagement session with Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki at the MACC headquarters here today. Norison said the MOF welcomes views and suggestions from the MACC, particularly on enforcement and the application of existing laws under the commission's jurisdiction. Azam expressed his support for the key points of the proposed bill, which he said align with the ongoing National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS). 'NACS is the best platform for the MACC to address weaknesses in the government procurement system, and we fully support this initiative,' he said. — Bernama


Daily Express
39 minutes ago
- Daily Express
Need to shield B40 from SST impact: Umno
Published on: Saturday, June 21, 2025 Published on: Sat, Jun 21, 2025 By: Abbey Junior Text Size: Suhaimi noted that Sabah remains one of the states most affected by development imbalance and income inequality — making it all the more urgent for the government to provide strong buffers against the impact of new taxes. Kota Kinabalu: With the full implementation of the Sales and Services Tax (SST) in Sabah just around the corner, the state government must explain what measures are in place to protect low-income groups from the expected rise in living costs. Sabah Umno information chief Datuk Suhaimi Nasir said the absence of clear strategies to assist vulnerable communities is worrying, especially as nearly 40pc of households in the state fall under the B40 category. 'Many depend on informal work or subsistence economies. The SST could erode their already limited purchasing power — particularly in rural areas,' said Suhaimi, who is also Libaran MP, in a statement on Friday (June 20). The tax rollout, set to begin on July 1, was introduced under Budget 2025 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Under the new framework, a 5pc–10pc sales tax will apply to selected non-essential goods, while the service tax is being extended to sectors such as rental and leasing, construction, finance, private healthcare, private education, and beauty services. Suhaimi noted that Sabah remains one of the states most affected by development imbalance and income inequality — making it all the more urgent for the government to provide strong buffers against the impact of new taxes. While he acknowledged the importance of SST in boosting national revenue, he said it must be balanced with fair and inclusive support policies to prevent it from becoming a burden to ordinary Sabahans. Advertisement He urged the state government to implement targeted subsidies, expand the scope of price controls on essential goods, and provide conditional cash assistance to help households cope. 'The revenue collected must be returned to the people through tangible improvements in rural infrastructure — such as roads, clinics, clean water, and internet coverage — especially in interior areas still left behind,' he said. 'Sabahans deserve transparency on how public funds are spent and how these measures directly benefit their daily lives. Trust is not built on slogans, but on action that prioritises those most in need.' * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia


The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
New ‘Edisi Siasat 2.0' cannot be accessed
KUALA LUMPUR: The Telegram channel of 'Edisi Siasat 2.0', which was created after the 'Edisi Siasat' and 'Edisi Khas' channels were blocked yesterday, is now also inaccessible to users of the platform. A Bernama check of the channel found that a warning displayed, saying 'This channel can't be displayed because it violated local laws (Malaysia)' and all content on the channel had also been deleted. Yesterday, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) filed a civil action against two channels on the Telegram platform, namely 'Edisi Siasat' and 'Edisi Khas', rendering the two channels inaccessible on the same evening. However, at 8 pm on the same day, Bernama's check of the platform found that a new account using the name 'Edisi Siasat 2.0' had been created, gaining over 100,000 followers before it was blocked. MCMC said in a statement that the action is the first of its kind taken against a social media platform provider, especially since Telegram holds an Application Service (Class ) [ASP(C)] licence. Both channels were construed as spreading content that violated provisions under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which has the potential to erode trust in (public) institutions and affect public order.