KOTA KINABALU: PKR vice president Nurul Izzah Datuk Seri Anwar said she was aware of the concerns raised about the photos taken of her and Jacel Kiram on Nov 9, this year.
“I must reiterate that I did not seek out or set up any meeting, nor ever acquainted before with Jacel Kiram.
“Instead, she was one of the 15 guests invited by my hosts – the council on Philippine Affairs & Asian Institute for Democracy, the office of the City Mayor of Manila and the office of the Vice President of the Philippines,” Nurul explained in a statement issued yesterday.
“Everyone present at the meeting took photographs with me in support of the United Nations Working
Group on Arbitrary Detention’s position, which was for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to be immediately released.”
“I understand that many families of the fallen servicemen in the Lahad Datu intrusion, affected members of the Sabahan community, including Malaysians in general, are hurt by the photographs of me and Jacel Kiram and for this, I sincerely apologise.”
“My sympathies and support have always been and will always be with our fallen heroes, victims of the incursion, and continuous affected communities due to the ongoing conflict and demands by the separatists,” said Nurul Izzah.
“I will continue, as a Malaysian legislator, and as a Malaysian to defend the state of Sabah as one of the states in Malaysia at all times and will do my utmost to defend this stance.”
“I have nothing to hide and I am more than willing to cooperate with the authorities on my visit hosted by the Council on Philippine Affairs & Asian Institute for Democracy, the office of the City Mayor of Manila & the office of the Vice President of the Philippines,” she said.