Albert Tei Scandal: Who Is He — Hero, Victim, or the System’s Fall Guy?
Made in Malaysia, November 30 2025
Introduction: Why the Albert Tei Scandal Won’t Go Away
The Albert Tei scandal has become one of Malaysia’s most closely watched corruption stories of 2025.
A businessman from Selangor, previously unknown to most voters, now sits at the centre of a sprawling narrative that stretches from Sabah’s mining licences all the way to the Prime Minister’s Office.
His story involves alleged bribes to state assemblymen, hidden-camera recordings, a powerful federal political aide, and a legal system that treats him as both whistleblower and accused.
Some Malaysians see him as a heroic whistleblower who exposed a cosy club of politicians trading licences for cash.
Others insist he is a willing bribe-giver who blew the whistle only after his deals collapsed. Many more suspect he is actually a fall guy: useful for politicians when they wanted money, and just as useful now as a scapegoat.
