Sabah minerals firm accuses ex-CEO of breach of duty, fraud

 

Sabah Mineral Management said Jontih Enggihon’s alleged wrongdoing was uncovered following a comprehensive internal investigation. (PKINK pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

Sabah Mineral Management (SMM) Sdn Bhd has accused its former CEO, Jontih Enggihon, of breach of fiduciary duty, fraud and misconduct, with reports filed with the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission over his actions.

SMM CEO Natasha Sim said Jontih’s alleged wrongdoing was uncovered following a comprehensive internal probe into his affairs while holding the post.

Natasha Sim.

In a statement, Sim claimed that this included breaches of fiduciary duties, fraudulent activities, misrepresentation to the SMM board of directors, and misconduct.

“The investigation identified multiple instances where Jontih acted beyond his authority with actions intended to benefit entities with potential conflicts of interest, in collusion with a third party representing a cartel of interests.

“These actions were conducted without the knowledge or approval of the board of directors, constituting a serious breach of company policies and governance standards,” she said.

Sim said the state government-owned company has also engaged lawyers to explore filing a civil suit against Jontih over financial losses or reputational damage he had caused the firm.

She reiterated that SMM remained committed to upholding good governance, transparency and accountability in its operations, while protecting the interests of Sabahans and its stakeholders.

“The company will not tolerate any form of misconduct that compromises the integrity of its operations. SMM is cooperating fully with the MACC and police in their investigations,” she said.

Sim said SMM released this statement to keep stakeholders informed of its actions and to exemplify its commitment to responsible management.

Police and MACC reports have been filed against Jontih accusing him of colluding with a purported whistleblower behind the videos alleging corruption involving several Sabah assemblymen.

Yesterday, Jontih denied the allegations and said the claim that he acted as a middleman between the whistleblower and assemblymen was a “total lie”.

He said he had evidence to back his claim that Sabah chief minister Hajiji Noor had abused his powers, saying this included text messages from Hajiji, briefing notes, and the minutes from the SMM board of directors meetings.

So far, MACC has summoned five assemblymen to provide their statements.

Hajiji has pledged full cooperation with MACC, saying he has nothing to hide, but also called for the individual who allegedly bribed the assemblymen to also be investigated.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had also said the whistleblower cannot expect protection if he was involved in corruption. - FMT