Nurul: I had no agenda in Sabah

Was it fear of Pakatan Rakyat’s successful rallies in peninsular that compelled a knee-jerk reaction to bar Nurul Izzah Anwar’s visit to Sabah?

KOTA KINABALU: A shocked PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar has denied hatching any plan to hold demonstrations at the Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) premises during the Kaamaatan celebrations here.

Nurul Izzah was barred from entering Sabah on May 30.

Chief Minister Musa Aman reportedly said that they had reason to believe that Nurul Izzah’s visit was “not as innocent” as touted by the opposition.

But Nurul had denied outright that she had an agenda for attending the festivities.

“It’s a fabricated and utterly ridiculous allegations. The allegations are meant to tarnish my character and justify the unjustifiable deportation of BN dissenters.

“I deplore the fact that the Sabah Barisan Nasional government is repeating such fabrication without an ounce of responsible fact-finding,” she said.

Nurul was responding to a report in a Sabah based online portal that she was covertly planning a protest in KDCA in conjunction with the Kaamaatan celebrations statewide.

Pakatan Rakyat has held highly successful rallies across the Peninsular Malaysia following the May 5 general election. The opposition while winning over 51% of the popular votes, however failed to win enough parliamentary seats to wrest the country’s administration from Barisan Nasional under the current first-past-the-post elction system.

BN secured 133 seats against Pakatan’s 89.

Treat Musa same way, Kadazan urged

Nurul was invited by Penampang MP Darrel Leiking as his “personal guest” to join in the Kamaatan celebration on May 30 and 31. But she was barred entry under the Section 66 of the state’s Immigration Act.

Nurul Izah’s denial yesterday was followed by a similar reaction from Leiking.

“I deny each and every allegation of such ‘planned demonstrations’ at KDCA at all.

“It is in fact a surprise and a shocker for me and all of us to hear and read of such allegations.

“Nurul Izzah was supposed to be here to attend and join in the Kaamatan at KDCA as my personal guest.

Meanwhile Sabah DAP has urged all Kadazans in the state to boycott state government functions.

Kepayan assemblyman Edwin Bosi said the episode was humiliating to the Kadazans.

“It’s embarrassing to the community. After humiliating the Kadazan community, Musa deserves to be treated the same way.

“I urge my fellow Kadazans to give equal treatment to Chief Minsiter Musa Aman by boycotting his events. We Kadazans must not attend any event where he is to show our disgust and disapproval of on his part for banning Nurul and other Pakatan Rakyat leaders from entering Sabah,” he said.