Loud calls for Sabah entry ban
Published on: Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: Politicians and the public continued to castigate PKR Vice President Nurul Izzah Anwar over recent photos of her and so-called Sulu princess Jacel Kiram III, with some wanting her banned from entering Sabah permanently.Tungku Assemblyman Datuk Mohd Suhaili Said and Sindumin Assemblyman Datuk Ahmad Bujang urged the State government to ban her.Mohd Suhaili said Nurul's meeting with Jacel, who is the daughter of the self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu the late Jamalul Kiram III, is problematic because Jacel was in collusion with her father during the Tanduo incident in 2013.
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During the incident where about 200 armed men and women intruded Kg Tanduo in Lahad Datu to claim Sabah, whereby Jacel became her father's spokesperson in Manila."Jacel was one of the masterminds behind her father's claim over Sabah for the so-called Sulu Sultanate. Even the Philippines government has its own channel to do that. But Jacel did it with guns, terror and violence. What Nurul did, hurt us very deeply."Not many people know what happened during those terrible weeks. It wasn't easy. People are still traumatised. I was there, sending food to displaced villagers. The stench of blood was everywhere. The other day, a leader accused the government of not doing enough. "But they don't know how the government tried its best to provide for the people, despite limited resources. And then Nurul went and met Jacel, it was like a slap to the face," he said.
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Ahmad concurred with Mohd Suhaili saying that he was also deeply disappointed and regretted Nurul's action, regardless of how the meeting came about."By the look of the photos, it seemed obvious that the meeting had been planned. Furthermore, her action of garnering support from Sabah's enemy is extremely disturbing and highly irresponsible. She is supposed to be sensitive to the feelings of Sabahans.
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"What she did, she is playing with fire. There is no need for her to ask from anyone to pardon her father, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Just ask Malaysians for sympathy. What can Princess Kiram do? She is not even in Sabah or Malaysia. She is an outsider."I firmly request the State Government not to allow Nurul to enter Sabah because she is a traitor to the country and an enemy of the people in this State," he said.Deputy Speaker Datuk Johnny Mositun later issued a statement to support the suggestion."Bar her entry to Sabah as a lesson to her and any others who think they can ride roughshod over our feelings and dignity," said Mositun."As a Member of Parliament and seasoned politician she should not have put her personal agenda of freeing her father from prison before that of the feelings of Sabahans. Anyone who is a friend of our enemy is also our enemy," said the Parti Bersatu Sabah secretary-general.Sabah PKR representatives in the state assembly Datuk Lajim Ukin (Klias) Terence Siambun (Moyog) and Roland Chia (Inanam) were forced to fend off attacks from backbenchers who demanded that they explained their party vice-president's actions."You keep accusing her of cohorting but where is the proof? Show me the proof," said Siambun.Chia, in his debate was also interrupted at several intervals to answer questions of Nurul Izzah's motivation and intention behind the meeting but refused to answer the jibes.Datuk Abdul Rahim Ismail (BN-Pantai Manis) claimed that Nurul Izzah's family has a history with the Kiram family, noting that Anwar had once met with the late "sultan" Jamalul Kiram III, Jacel's father and the man said to have started the bloody Lahad Datu incursion in 2013."Is this their way of continuing the relationship? If we are defending our sovereignty, we have to curb these incidents at an early stage," he said.Another police report was lodged, this time by Puteri Umno Sabah calling for investigations into the reason behind Nuruh Izzah's meeting with Jacel. Last Saturday, members from Sabah Umno Youth led by its Chief Yamani Hafez Musa also lodged a report. Puteri Umno Sabah Chief Normalah Rasik who was accompanied by Puteri Umno Sabah Division chiefs, said:"We are not in favour of her meeting with the Princess who we know is the daughter to the man who was connected to the Sulu incursion in Tanduo, Lahad Datu. "As Sabahans, we do not want our generation to face similar incursion by these gunmen and even though the Sulu incursion occurred in 2013, it still has an impact on the people, especially family members of our security forces who were sacrificed during the incursion." She also called for Nurul to be barred from entering the State."We also hope similar incidents would not happen again among leaders, especially opposition leaders and we will continue to monitor for any such incidents." Meanwhile, Puteri Umno Penampang Division Chief Dg. Sarinah Mohd Yassin agreed with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi that Nurul Izzah may not have committed a crime in meeting the "princess". "This is a matter of dignity and sovereignty of the country and Sabah in particular, even if a crime may not have been committed," said Sarinah.In KUNAK, Malaysia Ex-Policemen Association's Sabah Information and Liaison Chief Supt (rtd) Ab Mali Abas said as a Member of Parliament, Nurul Izzah should be aware of the country's security aspects.The 67-year-old former Sandakan Battalion 15 General Operations Force Commanding Officer and former Lahad Datu District Police Chief said Nurul's meeting would bring up numerous questions related to security aspects of the country."I urge police to investigate the relationship between Nurul and Jacel, and for action to be taken where needed," he said, adding that the Sulu incursion in the East Coast has also had an impact on the economy and tourism industry in the State."This has nothing to do with politics, but it concerns security issues, especially for Sabahans who have been affected by the incident which took place in Tanduo and Semporna in 2013. "Even more saddening is that the incident left a scar which is still felt especially by the police force who have lost their comrades during the incursion," he said. He said following the Sulu incursion, the government has come up with the Eastern Sabah Security Command which until today, is hunting and identifying the remaining militants who might be in the State. "It is very disappointing that the Kiram family keeps pursuing their claim over Sabah as reported by the media in the Philippines," he said. Reports were also lodged by a total of 34 Village Security Development Committee chairmen and village chiefs from the Kunak Community Development Leaders Unit represented by Isnan Maratihil who is Kg Pangi Village Security Development Committee Chairman. In TENOM, NGO Mamagun President Rudy Sulaiman Mairi said Nurul's action clearly showed that Nurul has no respect for Sabahans. She not only hurt the feelings of those who have lost their dear ones during the Sulu incursion in Tanduo, but it seems the country's law is being ridiculed. He said Nurul should issue an open apology to Sabahans and explain the motive behind her meeting.He said Jacel is an enemy to the country because she does not acknowledge Malaysia and even made claims over Sabah."We are also disappointed that our enemy can easily establish friendship with Nurul…for what purpose?" he asked. He said the Lembah Pantai MP's action is a disgrace and an insult, especially in the wake of the recent reported murder of Malaysian hostage, Bernard Then, a Sarawakian who was held captive by gunmen from the Southern Philippines. Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS) Vice President Paul Kadau said the photos have led to numerous questions as to the actual motive behind the meeting. "She has gone overboard and it shows that she is not serious in defending and protecting the safety of Sabahan," he said. "It would be better for Nurul to meet directly with the Philippine President instead of meeting Jacel who would not be able to do anything to release Anwar," he said. In SANDAKAN, several locals came together to lodge reports. Among them was Osman Enting, 72, who said he came to know of their meeting after reading about it in Daily Express last Saturday. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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