Kota Kinabalu: The High Court has ordered Sabah Mineral Management Sdn Bhd’s (SMM) former Chief Executive Officer Jontih Enggihon and businessman Albert Tei to each pay RM100,000 to the company within 14 days, after finding both in contempt of court for breaching injunction orders.
Judicial Commissioner Ratanah Devi Yusof Perumal delivered the ruling on Sept 18, allowing SMM’s committal application against the two defendants.
Failure to make payment within the stipulated period will result in 21 days’ imprisonment each.
The court held that both Jontih and Tei were aware of the terms of the ex-parte and ad interim injunction orders but had wilfully breached them regardless.
The committal application arose after the two defendants were found to have violated the injunction orders previously granted to SMM.
For the record, the dispute traces back to a leadership clash at SMM, the State Government agency overseeing Sabah’s mining sector.
In January 2025, SMM initiated High Court proceedings against Jontih and an external party, Tei Jiann Chien, alleging fraud, breach of fiduciary duties, document tampering and possible collusion.
SMM also reported these allegations to enforcement agencies, including the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
The company said at the time that it was acting to protect its own interests as well as those of the State Government and the people of Sabah, and pledged to maintain accountability in managing Sabah’s mineral resources.
