Kota Kinabalu: The Sessions Court here dismissed businessman Datuk Albert Tei’s defamation suit against Sabah Mineral Management Sdn Bhd (SMM) after finding that he failed to establish the defamatory meaning pleaded in his claim.
Sessions Court Judge Monica Linsua, in her ruling on Aug. 21, found that Tei had established publication and reference but failed to establish an essential element of his defamation claim.
The court found that, when the impugned statement was read as a whole and in its proper context, it did not convey the defamatory meaning pleaded by Tei.
As that essential element had not been established, the court said there was no need to consider the defences raised by SMM.
Tei had filed the suit against the company in August last year, alleging that it falsely linked him to a conspiracy to damage the reputation of the company and its chief executive officer, as well as document tampering.
The claim was accordingly dismissed and Tei was ordered to pay SMM RM25,000 in costs. When contacted, SMM said it respected the court’s decision and would continue to protect its reputation.
Tei, 37, had been separately charged in the Sessions Court here on June 30, 2025, with offering bribes totalling RM350,000 to two former assemblymen in relation to applications for mineral exploration licences in Sabah.
He pleaded not guilty to two charges against him.
On the first count, Tei allegedly gave a RM150,000 bribe to former Tanjung Batu Assemblyman Datuk Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy, as an inducement to assist in the processing of Sinaran Hayat Sdn Bhd’s application for a Prospecting Licence for mineral in Sabah.
He allegedly committed the offence at 11pm on May 12, 2023, at Andi’s residence in Jalan Pantai, Sembulan, near here.
On the second count, Tei is accused of giving a RM200,000 bribe to former Sindumin Assemblyman Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob, as an inducement to assist in processing the Prospecting Licence for Nusa Kini Sdn Bhd also to explore for minerals in Sabah.
The offence allegedly took place at 2pm on March 6, 2023 at the Rooftop Bar & Grill @ Hilton, here.
It is believed that Syarikat Nusa Kini and Syarikat Sinaran Hayat based in Sabah were owned by Tei’s business partners.
Tei was charged under Section 16(b)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times of the amount involved, or RM10,000, or which one is higher, on conviction.
The cases are pending trial.
