KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Mineral Management Sdn Bhd (SMM) has initiated legal proceedings for defamation in response to a series of recent articles and videos published by MalaysiaNow, which it claims contain false and misleading allegations about the company.
SMM in a statement said the publications alleged that the company had awarded a prospecting licence to Bumi Suria Sdn Bhd, an assertion it described as “untrue, biased and defamatory.”
SMM stated that at no point did MalaysiaNow seek clarification or a response from the company before publishing the allegations.
The company said the publication was a calculated attempt to damage the reputation of SMM, its directors and officers.
To ensure the public receives accurate information, SMM clarified that it does not have the legal authority to issue any form of prospecting licence.
Under the Sabah Mining Ordinance 1960, the power to issue such licences lies solely with the Sabah Lands and Surveys Department (JTU). This, SMM said, was confirmed by the JTU Director in a press statement dated July 24, 2025, which clearly stated that no prospecting licence or other mineral-related licence had ever been issued to Bumi Suria.
SMM explained that its role, as mandated by the State Government, is to act as a central management body for the mining industry in Sabah. Its responsibilities include conducting technical and financial due diligence on licence applications, monitoring regulatory compliance, and providing oversight.
When it comes to applications, SMM’s involvement is limited to issuing a Conditional Letter of Permission to Apply for a Prospecting Licence after deliberation by its Board of Directors. This letter, it stressed, does not equate to the issuance or award of any licence.
Regarding the Bumi Suria case, SMM said that although a conditional approval to apply for a licence was initially given, Bumi Suria failed to submit the necessary documentation required to proceed. As a result, on March 24, 2025, SMM issued an official Letter of Cancellation of Permission to Apply to Bumi Suria. These facts, the company said, were maliciously omitted by MalaysiaNow in its reporting.
SMM also took issue with the misuse of its Chief Executive Officer’s image. It said MalaysiaNow wrongfully used a photograph and the name of Natasha Sim in connection with an audio recording that neither featured her voice nor had any relation to her. SMM described this as a deliberate act of misrepresentation, noting that MalaysiaNow failed to verify the content with either the company or the CEO before publication.
SMM cautioned all media outlets and individuals against reproducing or referencing the MalaysiaNow publications, which it maintains are demonstrably false, misleading and defamatory.
The company has instructed its legal counsel to commence defamation proceedings against MalaysiaNow and any other parties that republish the same content.
