KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 26): Former senior political secretary Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin has lodged a police report against businessman Albert Tei Jiann Cheing for allegedly making baseless and slanderous claims.
In a statement published on his Facebook account, Shamsul said Tei had falsely accused him of being involved in supposed instructions from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to record several Sabah political figures.
Shamsul said he made the police report at 5.05pm while on the Sabah state election campaign in Gum Gum, Sabah.
He described the allegation as a “malicious conspiracy” aimed at damaging the prime minister’s reputation and destabilising the government during the state election campaign.
“I will not allow anyone to use my name or former position to undermine the government or smear the good name of the prime minister,” he said.
Shamsul added that he trusted the Royal Malaysian Police to begin investigations promptly and said he is ready to fully cooperate with the authorities, including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
The MACC has opened an investigation into claims that Tei bribed Shamsul. The probe was announced shortly after Anwar reiterated that MACC is free to investigate without interference.
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, in a statement, said both Tei and Shamsul will be summoned soon, along with other relevant parties. The public was urged not to speculate.
Shamsul resigned on Tuesday after backlash over a 2024 support letter recommending contractors for a government hospital project. The matter resurfaced in Parliament on Nov 18, where Anwar confirmed he had reprimanded Shamsul. Tensions rose further after Malaysiakini reported Tei’s claim that he had spent RM629,000 on Shamsul, including for renovations, cigars and custom suits.