A SABAH Umno leader has denied that the party was involved in exposing the alleged bribery case involving eight assemblymen in the state.

Beaufort Umno chief Awang Aslee Lakat acknowledged that certain quarters were pointing to Sabah Umno as orchestrating the case’s disclosure, but said this was baseless.

“Why are certain parties linking Umno as the mastermind behind the exposure of this corruption case,” he was quoted as saying by Utusan Malaysia.

He urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the case thoroughly and said he trusts the authorities to haul those involved in the case to justice.

Last Friday, a senior MACC official reportedly met with a lawyer who played him a 17-second audio recording, in which several people were heard discussing matters involving money.

According to MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki, the lawyer said his client was ready to provide evidence, but wanted MACC to sign an agreement stating that the client would not be investigated.

Azam said MACC cannot give a written guarantee of immunity without detailed information of the wrongdoing in question.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also maintained that whistleblowers cannot expect protection if they were involved in corruption cases.

Sabah chief minister Hajiji Noor has since said his government would cooperate with MACC in its probe as he had “nothing to hide”.

An MACC report has also been lodged against a former senior officer of a state-owned mining company over alleged abuse of power. It is said to revolve around his long-standing relationship with a broker from West Malaysia.

Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported that a whistleblower had released a video featuring the former senior officer accusing Hajiji of abusing his powers.