KOTA KINABALU: United Pasokmomogun KadazanDusun Murut Organization (Upko) deputy president Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Bumburing has urged Pekida Sabah chairman Datu Mohd Akjan Ali Mohammad to make clear the latter’s recent statement.
Bumburing, who is also Angkatan Amanah Merdeka Malaysia (Amanah) deputy president, said Akjan should explain what he meant by the words “backfire,” “bad intention,” “selfish and politically motivated,” and “political spins of certain politicians” in his statement objecting to the proposal for a Royal Commission of Inquiry on illegal immigrants.
He also demanded to know which “ethnic group” Akjan is referring to which the latter in his opinion “have more right than the other ethnic” group.
Akjan, the Tuaran Member of Parliament, said portrayed a confused mind when he issued the statement as the 26 ethnic groups which he mentioned (Suluk, Bajau, Kadazandusun, Murut, Rungus and other ethnic races) are automatic citizens of Malaysia and don’t need to apply for citizenship qualification.
“We are not in any way questioning the granting of citizenship to any individuals from any country to be granted Malaysian citizenship so long as they have fulfilled the criteria and other conditions for eligibility.
“We are ONLY concerned with people who have been given citizenship through dubious means as this is the only reason for the sudden population increase in Sabah in such a short period of time defying any logical birthrate explanation.
“I am personally sadden by the arrogant and audacious statement coming from a person who claim to be citizen of this country and yet declared himself as the Sultan of another country,” Bumburing said adding that he had personally handed over to the Home Ministry a memorandum urging the Federal Government to nullify all Malaysian ICs given under questionable circumstances.
The said memorandum contained evidences of ICs given to unqualified persons through dubious means, Bumburing pointed out.
And for someone to come forward with a statement calling on the Federal Government to disregard what is factually a legitimate request coming from every section of the Sabah people and from both side of the political divide is indeed a blatant disrespect towards the wishes of the people of Sabah, he stressed.
Only an individual with a hidden agenda, would go against the wishes of the ethnic majority such is the case now. As such, we demand an explanation from Akjan as to why was he detained under the ISA, Bumburing added.
“We also demand a detail explanation from Akjan on what he meant by labeling the call for RCI as something that would “backfire” and as well having “bad intention,” “selfish and politically motivated” and “political spins of certain politician to misled certain ethnic group to think they have more right the the other ethnic group.”
“There exist certain element of threat in that statement insinuating a situation that would lead to uncertainties and chaos and I urge Akjan to withdraw that particular statement that he made. Along this line, I urge the people of Sabah not to be intimidated by such irresponsible statement.
He was of the opinion that any person who disagrees with the setting up of RCI is in fact the one with the “bad intention, selfish and politically motivated.”
“We all acknowledge that every ethnic group in Sabah or Malaysia for that matter are equal as guaranteed in the Federal Constitution. I strongly support the principles that every citizen of this country is equal in status and in their right as citizens.
“The only people who would not have the same equal status as the bona fide citizens are the foreigners who must come into the country legally and abide by the laws of the country while they are here.
“I therefore call upon every Malaysian citizens in Sabah to be united together to safeguard and protect and defend the sovereignty and security of the country and the State of Sabah from any negative elements that would destroy the peace and harmony we have inherited from our forefathers; the same peace and harmony should we pass on to our next generation for them to continue this noble heritage,” he said.