Kota Kinabalu: Parti Warisan President Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal brushed aside an incident where the father of a GRS-BN candidate, believed to be a former Member of Parliament, tried to disrupt Shafie’s speech midway and had to be forced off the stage by Warisan supporters on Tuesday.
The former Chief Minister hoped the incident at Kg Sundang Laut would be a reminder for all political parties to respect their opponents.
Policemen in the area promptly responded to avoid the situation getting out of control. The incident went viral on social media.
“It’s a small issue... Just want to see me, is it?” Shafie quipped.
“We don’t attend theirs (other parties doing campaigns) because we don’t want to disturb them. This is a democratic process and that is why we need a permit from the police to conduct a public talk. People need to follow laws and regulations. This is our programme, why did you come to our party? Do you just or solely want to meet me? You can see me anywhere. I don’t want to waste my time,” he said.
The video clip showed what appeared to be Datuk Akbarakhan Abdulrahman, the father of Khairul Firdaus, go on stage just as the emcee was rallying the crowd to vote for Warisan’s Alias Sani.
The man went on stage and shouted “Hidup GRS” while standing in front of Shafie and the audience as soon as Warisan Karamunting Assemblyman George Hiew gave a speech. The villagers booed and dragged him out.
On his part, Khairul hoped to see the political campaigning conducted in a peaceful, friendly and transparent manner.
“Don’t bring up sentiments and elements that are sensitive which will hurt others... Political maturity is the key to the maturity of a politician when facing the rakyat” Khairul said.
“Myself and my father and our family enjoy good relationship with Shafie. My father and Shafie are friends and he is like family. I have no intention to be enemies because we have known each other for a long time,” he said.
Meanwhile, Alias expressed disappointment that someone interrupted his talk.
“My campaign talk session had a valid permit from police and I don’t understand why the concerned man, who I was made to understand came with two others to disrupt the session.
“I do not know who the man was but I was made to understand that he is the father of one of the candidates while the two persons are his father’s friends,” he said. He said he would lodge a report prior to taking legal action.
The Batu Sapi constitiency (P-185) is witnessing five-cornered fight with the candidates being Liar Fui Fui@Hii Chang Lik (PH-DAP), Ir Hj Othman Hj Ahmad (Bebas), Boni Yusuf Juanico Abdullah (Pejuang), Alias Sani (Warisan), and Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan (GRS-BN).
