SMM dismisses viral jet photo claims, cites cleared inquiry

LocalPolitics
21 Jul 2025 • 6:20 PM MYT
Daily Express
Daily Express

Daily Express Online (Malaysia) is Sabah's top-ranked & most viewed English news site. It is also Sabah's leading & most circulated daily English newspaper.

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By: Sabah Publishing House Sdn Bhd

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Mineral Management Sdn Bhd (SMM) has dismissed allegations arising from a viral photo showing its CEO and company secretary near a private jet, confirming it was taken during a sanctioned work trip tied to foreign investment discussions.

The company clarified that the photo, taken in August 2024, was from a follow-up visit to an Indonesian mining conglomerate after the Board-approved due diligence process initiated by its former CEO in early 2023.

SMM stated that both CEO Natasha Sim and company secretary Emily Chong had already cooperated with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission last December, with an internal inquiry in February 2025 finding no misconduct or personal benefit involved.

window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.defineSlot('/22826383987/dailyexpress_inline', [1, 1], 'gpt-passback').addService(googletag.pubads());googletag.enableServices();googletag.display('gpt-passback');});It emphasised that the CEO holds no licensing authority, and strongly refuted any claims of wrongdoing, calling the allegations misleading and defamatory.

SMM believes the renewed attention may be linked to the ongoing legal action it has filed against two individuals, and warned it will take legal steps against those who continue to spread baseless claims.