KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin has filed a police report against businessman Albert Tei, accusing him of defamation and conspiring to tarnish the reputation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Shamsul, the former Senior Political Secretary to the Prime Minister, claimed that Tei had made false allegations suggesting that the Prime Minister had directed the recording of certain Sabah politicians, local media reported.
“At around 5.05 PM today, during the Sabah State Election campaign in Gum Gum, I lodged a police report against Albert Tei,” Shamsul said in a statement on Wednesday.
“These defamatory accusations are clearly part of a malicious conspiracy to damage the Prime Minister’s image and undermine the government in an undemocratic manner, especially during the state election campaign.”
Shamsul expressed his willingness to cooperate with the police and other law enforcement agencies, including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which has announced an investigation into the case.
“I will not allow any individual to misuse my name or previous position to attempt to bring down the government or tarnish the Prime Minister’s reputation,” he emphasised.
Earlier today, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said it will promptly investigate allegations of bribery involving Shamsul.
MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki confirmed that both Tei and Shamsul would be summoned shortly to provide statements regarding the corruption claims.
Azam urged the public to refrain from speculating on the matter and allow MACC the space to conduct a thorough investigation to collect the relevant information and evidence.
Prior to that, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim accepted Shamsul’s resignation and stressed that MACC would be free to carry out its investigation without any external interference.
“Regarding the allegations, I want to reaffirm that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is free to conduct an immediate investigation without any outside intervention,” Datuk Seri Anwar stated.
“The Madani government remains committed to principles of transparency and integrity, and we will allow the investigative process to proceed within the bounds of the law,” he added.
Recently, former Economic Minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli called for the Prime Minister to take action, including potentially requesting an investigation by MACC, following a letter of support allegedly issued by one of his political secretaries.
This was followed by a report from the Malaysiakini portal, where controversial businessman Albert Tei claimed he had spent RM629,000 on Shamsul, including for property renovation work linked to the PKR leader, as well as for premium cigars and a bespoke suit.
In June, Tei was charged with two counts of bribing Sabah state assembly members in connection with a mineral licensing scandal in the state.
In light of these allegations, the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition has called on MACC to investigate Shamsul for corruption and abuse of power, in relation to the claims made by Tei and the alleged letter of support tied to him. – November 26, 2025