PAPAR: The Sabah government is prepared to cooperate with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) following allegations of its assemblymen involved in bribery.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said they were aware of the audio recording which allegedly indicated several assemblymen of the state receiving bribes.
In light of this, he said the state government had requested that the authorities investigate the matter.
"We are asking the authorities to investigate. We will cooperate, but also investigate the (related parties) who offered the bribe.
"Those offering bribes have bad intentions to obtain something from the government. When they fail, this (recording) emerges.
"So, in my view, for fairness, arrest and investigate them first," he said after the groundbreaking of the 100mW Kimanis Power (Two) Sdn Bhd power plant project, and the 15th anniversary celebration of Kimanis Power Sdn Bhd, at the Kimanis Power Station in Kimanis here today.
Present were the State Secretary Datuk Safar Untong, Yayasan Sabah director Datuk Ghulam Haidar Khan Bahadar, Invest Sabah Bhd chairman Senator Datuk Seri Anifah Aman and Innoprise Corporation Sdn Bhd executive chairman Datuk Jasnih Daya.
He further clarified that he had no intention of hiding anything.
"I have nothing to hide. The government is in good shape and is still functioning well. That (the circulating audio allegations) is just an accusation.
"Report it to the MACC. We have nothing to conceal," he said.
Recently, an online portal reported the existence of at least eight video recordings implicating several assemblymen discussing alleged bribes worth hundreds of thousands of ringgit as a reward for securing projects in a state.
So far, it was reported that the MACC had yet to receive any official complaint from any parties, including informants claiming to possess the audio recordings.
MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said that the informant's lawyer had met with commission officers on Oct 30.