Kota Kinabalu, Sabah – A prominent businessman with alleged ties to the Sabah mining scandal has been accused of blackmailing Chief Minister Hajiji Noor to secure approval for prospecting licenses (PLs).

According to a source close to the matter, the businessman, whose identity remains undisclosed, issued multiple threats to the state government if the PLs were not granted. The threats were directly aimed at Chief Minister Hajiji Noor.

"The businessman repeatedly stated that if the board did not approve the PLs for his companies, he would release a press statement to bring down the entire government," the source revealed.

However, the businessman offered a different proposition in exchange for the PLs. He promised to fully support the state administration if Hajiji approved the licenses, thereby avoiding the threat of a government takedown.

Despite the intense pressure and bribery attempts, Hajiji Noor remained steadfast in his decision.

Less than two months after the blackmail incident, a video emerged implicating several assemblymen in the mining scandal. Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah Youth linked this video to Hajiji Noor's decision to revoke a PL due to the existence of a mining cartel.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is currently investigating allegations of corruption involving the businessman and several Sabah assemblymen connected to the scandal.

A previous report by FMT indicated that a cartel, allegedly led by the businessman and former state agency directors, had applied for approximately 20 PLs between 2022 and 2024. These licenses would have granted the cartel mining rights over a vast area of 1,000,000 acres.