Political Storm in Sabah: Can Hajiji Noor and GRS Survive the Scandal?

Another scandal has engulfed the state government of Sabah. The allegations of bribery and corruption are serious, but they will only impact the state government if certain conditions are in place.

In Sabah, there have been videos exposing the alleged involvement of Sabah lawmakers in fixing a mining project in return for money. The state government is led by the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) party under Chief Minister Hajiji Noor. The videos feature GRS leaders, including prominent figures like Finance Minister Masidi Manjun. They depict a businessman seeking a mining license in Sabah, who allegedly pays lawmakers in advance to secure their support. When the businessman’s license was withdrawn, he reportedly retaliated by releasing the videos. Central to the controversy is the former CEO of Sabah Mineral Management (SMM), who has accused Hajiji of abusing his power to favour certain businesspeople and assemblymen.

Masidi has voluntarily offered to be questioned by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), while other lawmakers implicated in the videos have also been called in for questioning. So far, Hajiji remains defiant while pledging full cooperation with the MACC and promising transparency. He has dismissed the videos as an attempt to destabilise his government and force his resignation.

Several news reports suggest the videos were orchestrated by professionals, possibly with political or military intelligence expertise, working with GRS’s political adversaries who aim to topple Hajiji’s administration.

This is not the first time such videos have been used to attack politicians. In 2012, a secretly recorded video by Global Witness exposed alleged corruption involving Sarawak’s former Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud’s family and business associates. The video showed Taib’s cousins and lawyers discussing back-channel transactions to evade taxes and pay kickbacks to the Chief Minister. Taib denied the allegations, claiming the video was part of a smear campaign.

At the time, Sarawak was preparing for the 2013 Malaysian general election. The opposition exploited the issue, distributing copies of the exposé to longhouses across Sarawak to tarnish Taib’s reputation. However, despite the wide publicity, the video failed to weaken the Sarawak branch of Barisan Nasional (BN) led by Taib. It won 25 of the 31 contested parliamentary seats.

Controversies involving politicians in Sabah rarely cause major political upheaval in a state where patronage, personality, and parochialism dominate. In Sabah, underdevelopment is widespread, the opposition is weak, and most of the population lives in rural areas where bread-and-butter issues often overshadow political controversies.

If Taib survived such an exposé, can Hajiji and the GRS-led government do the same? This looks possible. Controversies involving politicians in Sabah rarely cause major political upheaval in a state where patronage, personality, and parochialism dominate. In Sabah, underdevelopment is widespread, the opposition is weak, and most of the population lives in rural areas where bread-and-butter issues often overshadow political controversies.

It is too early to tell if the videos will deliver a major blow to Hajiji and GRS. For the exposé to have a significant impact, three factors must align.

First, opposition leaders must effectively seize the issue, much like how Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin leveraged the 1MDB scandal against former Prime Minister Najib Razak in 2016–2018. Coordinated and vigorous efforts by Sabah’s opposition leaders, akin to those by Tony Pua and Rafizi Ramli during the 1MDB saga, are crucial. GRS, Warisan and the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) are coalition partners in the Unity Government but that does not stop Warisan and UMNO from attacking Hajiji, as their own credibility is undermined by allegations of corruption. As opposition parties in Sabah, Warisan and UMNO must be seen as providing checks and balances. This underscores the complexities of inter-party relations and the interplay between cooperation at the federal level and rivalry at the state level.

Second, the issue must be widely publicised and explained in simple terms to resonate with the public. The 1MDB scandal initially seemed complex but gained traction as its financial implications were unpacked over time. Similarly, Sabahans must be educated on how this scandal affects their state’s economy and governance.

Third, GRS’s response to the allegations continues to be underwhelming. Apart from issuing press statements, Hajiji has yet to personally address the allegations or defend himself and his implicated colleagues. His silence has fuelled speculation about his possible involvement or whether GRS leaders acted independently but exploited his name for their gain. The Backbenchers Club (BBC) led by Yusof Yacob has shown support for Hajiji’s leadership. But this appears to be futile, as Yusof himself is implicated in the video exposé. He is the state assemblyman for Sindumin and the chairman of Qhazanah Sabah Berhad, a government-linked corporation.

Hajiji’s GRS is part of the Unity Government under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. So far, Anwar has left the investigation to the MACC and has steered clear of direct involvement. Days after the video exposé surfaced, Hajiji and Masidi flew to Kuala Lumpur to meet Anwar, a move many interpreted as an effort to secure Anwar’s backing. However, the incident puts pressure on Anwar and could tarnish his image as a reformist leader committed to fighting corruption if he does not come down hard on corrupt politicians.

Hajiji may call off holding the state election until the latest possible date. The state assembly has to be dissolved before October 2025. The mining scandal has undoubtedly dented his administration’s reputation, and he will need time to build a positive narrative and rebuild trust. Strengthening GRS’s coalition — composed of disparate and often divisive partners — is also critical for Hajiji to maintain control.

Whether Hajiji and the GRS-led government can survive this political storm remains uncertain. The coming weeks will reveal whether the opposition can capitalise on the scandal and whether Hajiji can effectively defend his administration. One thing is clear: the stakes for Sabah’s political future have never been higher.

2024/372