Albert Tei to face April 2026 trial over RM350,000 mining bribes

KOTA KINABALU, 9 Dec 2025 – Businessman Datuk Albert Tei Jiann Cheing, 37, will stand trial from 20–24 April 2026 on charges of offering RM350,000 in bribes to two former Sabah assemblymen to speed up mineral exploration licence applications.

Sessions Court Judge Elsie Primus fixed the dates today during case management. Around 15 witnesses are expected to be called.

Albert Tei

Tei pleaded not guilty in June last year to bribing former Sindumin assemblyman Dr Yusof Yacob (RM200,000) and former Tanjung Batu assemblyman Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy (RM150,000) in 2023. The licences were for companies linked to Tei’s business partners.

The case is prosecuted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).