Police quiz Sipaun on speech

Simon Sipaun's remarks that 'life was better in Sabah before 1963' was made at a forum in Kota Kinabalu.

KOTA KINABALU: Former Sabah Secretary Simon Sipaun was questioned for about 90 minutes at his home yesterday for the remarks he made at a public forum here in August.

Simon believed that he was questioned after a non-governmental organisation lodged a police report against him based on local daily report on his speech at the forum, Malaysia at the Crossroads.

He said they wanted to know what crossroads meant and what was actually said at the forum.

“I told them that I only deliver one speech each time I am invited for a forum,” he added.

The thrust of Simon’s remarks was that “life was better in Sabah before 1963”.

“I am not referring to physical developments but the kind of society we had before Malaysia came in,” he told the police.

“There was no polarisation, no Allah issue, and no ketuanan Melayu. No police turning up unannounced on one’s doorsteps or knocking on the door in the wee hours of the morning.

“We didn’t have the climate of fear that we have now. There was nothing to intimidate us as a people,” he said.

The police had specifically wanted to know why he mentioned ketuanan Melayu.

Simon does not think that his remarks could be considered disrespectful of past leaders and the founding fathers.

“As far as I can remember, I did not mention past leaders, including the founding fathers.

“None of the family members of past leaders and founding fathers rang me, nor did they lodge police reports against me for my remarks,” said Simon.

He said he did not know whether the police had interviewed the daily or those who lodged the report against him.