Akin to kidnapping, due process ignored.
- MACC officers in full tactical gear – including bulletproof vests and balaclavas – raided Tei’s home
- They allegedly pointed a gun at Tei, purportedly deleted videos from handphones
- Tei taken away in unmarked black sedan to an unknown location
- Not a single MACC or police officer showed their authority card
Businessperson Albert Tei was arrested today after armed MACC officers raided his home, an operation his wife described as heavy-handed.
Tei’s wife, who identified herself only as Lee, said the officers forced their way in through the main door.
“At the time, Tei was already heading downstairs before he was instructed to move to a corner.
“Soon, he was instructed to lie on the floor, and a few officers handcuffed him, with one pointing a gun at Tei from a distance,” she told Malaysiakini.
After subduing Tei, Lee said the officers directed the rest of the family to another corner. She claimed they then seized all mobile phones, including the children’s, allegedly to delete videos and images.
“They took away all our phones… deleted all the videos… but I’m unsure what got deleted,” she said, adding that the devices were later returned.
Lee also alleged that officers used a red-coloured device to search the house.
“They checked everywhere… the curtains, our bags… everywhere.
“Perhaps, they were looking for other cameras,” she added.
Earlier, MACC personnel in full tactical gear — including bulletproof vests and balaclavas — raided the property and escorted Tei into an unmarked black sedan. His lawyer, Zaid Malek, who recorded the incident, repeatedly asked where Tei was being taken and to speak to the officer in charge, but received no response.
Tei, a central figure in corruption allegations involving prominent politicians, raised his hands several times toward the camera while chanting “lawan tetap lawan” (we fight on) before being placed in the vehicle.
In an unexpected turn, the officers returned to the home minutes later, before taking Tei away again.
When met at the house later, Zaid said the officers had left for a second time at about 12.50pm with Tei in custody, without revealing his destination. He criticised the operation as resembling an act of kidnapping and said the officers behaved as though “the law doesn’t exist in Malaysia.”
“Not a single MACC or police officer showed me their authority card.
“I asked them repeatedly where (Tei) was being taken to, and not a single officer informed me,” he said.
Zaid confirmed that Tei had been issued a search warrant, but said the document was sent from “an unknown number claiming to be a MACC officer” who did not provide his identity.
Tei has accused several politicians of taking money from him in exchange for help in securing mineral exploration licences, which he ultimately did not obtain. His latest accusation targets Malacca PKR chief Shamsul Iskandar Akin, claiming he spent RM629,000 on him. Shamsul, a former political secretary to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, had allegedly told Tei he could recover funds channelled to Sabah politicians.
Tei also provided Malaysiakini with WhatsApp screenshots from December 2023, which purportedly show Shamsul seeking money while abroad. In another exchange with an alleged proxy, it was claimed that Anwar had approved Tei’s recordings of discussions with Sabah politicians regarding kickbacks.
Shamsul has since resigned as Anwar’s political secretary in anticipation of the allegations and has pledged to defend himself. He has lodged a police report against Tei over a claim linking Anwar to video recordings involving several Sabah politicians in the mining licence scandal. He called Tei’s accusations a planned effort to topple the government.
MACC is expected to record Shamsul’s statement today.
Separately, MACC arrested Sofia Rini Buyong last night. She is the woman featured in a video clip of a conversation with Tei circulating on social media. According to BuletinTV3, she was taken to the Putrajaya Magistrate’s Court and remanded for four days to assist investigations.
Her lawyer, Shugan Raman, said she was detained after giving a statement at MACC headquarters in Putrajaya yesterday evening. He received a call from an MACC officer at about 10.45pm informing him of her arrest, which was made under Section 16 of the MACC Act 2009. The investigation relates to Tei’s corruption allegations against Shamsul.
Related Reports:
Nov 26, Albert Tei links Anwar’s senior aide Shamsul to Sabah mining scandal
Nov 25, Albert Tei tells Mahathir who ordered him to record Sabah corruption videos