Explain Hajiji’s political speech at mosque, Sabah authorities told

Warisan has decried apparent double standards in allowing politicians to speak at buka puasa events at mosques.

This is after a video was circulated that purportedly showed Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor disparaging the state opposition during a buka puasa event at a mosque in Sipitang.

In contrast, Warisan information chief Aziz Jamman said its party president Shafie Apdal faced numerous hurdles when attending such events.

Among others, some events allegedly were forced to relocate at the last minute, while mosque committees faced threats from local leaders in the ruling coalition if they allowed state opposition leaders to appear.

Aziz questioned whether there is a directive barring politicians, particularly those from the opposition, from speaking at mosques.

If not, he asked if this means government leaders abused their power to bar opposition leaders without any directive from the Sabah Islamic Religious Affairs Department (Muis).

“This is a situation that should not occur during Ramadan, let alone when such warnings come from fellow Muslims like Shafie himself.

“Once again, we ask: Is this a directive from Muis or merely an order from government leaders?

Warisan information chief Aziz Jamman

“If such a directive exists, I challenge Muis to show what wrongdoing Shafie has committed throughout Ramadan - whether in his behaviour or speeches - that justifies the obstruction of religious programmes during this holy month.

“Recordings of Shafie’s speeches are still available on his official Facebook page for you to review and compare with Hajiji’s speech at the mosque compound during his iftar event,” he said in a statement today.

Public urged to compare speeches

Azis said that while mosques should not be used as platforms for political speeches, there should be no restrictions for religious events that do not include political speeches.

He appealed to Sabahans to watch Shafie’s speeches on social media and contrast them with Hajiji’s speech.

Unlike Hajiji, he said, Shafie’s buka puasa speeches urge Muslims to be good and be closer to Allah, and never attacked GRS or otherwise injected politics into his speeches.

Warisan president and former Sabah chief minister Shafie Apdal

In that vein, he questioned whether Hajiji had delivered his speech as a government leader or the leader of a political party.

“If Hajiji was speaking as the chief minister, then it is appalling that he delivered a political speech despite an existing directive prohibiting mosques from being used as political platforms.

“If he was speaking as the president of GRS/PGRS, then is this not a direct violation of the government's own directive prohibiting political parties from using mosques for political speeches?” he said.

Shafie’s achievements questioned

Earlier, a video lasting two minutes and 11 seconds was circulated showing Hajiji purportedly speaking at an event at Masjid Imam Haji Awang Hashim in Sipitang on Thursday.

With the state election due by December, Hajiji urged voters in Sipitang and neighbouring Beaufort to support local leaders to ensure their re-election.

“Don’t choose the wrong one. Don’t listen to the opposition’s stories, because the opposition is inseparable from lies and slander,” he added.

He also questioned Shafie’s achievements as former chief minister and federal minister for rural and regional development.

“Today, he is the one with much talk. He had been a minister, he had been chief minister for two-and-a-half years, but had no plans at all,” he said.

Responding to Hajiji’s speech, Azis challenged Hajiji to state whether he truly believed Shafie had done nothing for the villages in Sabah during his tenure as the rural and regional development minister from 2009 to 2015.

“If the chief minister dares deny it, I can list the locations of water treatment plants, village roads, and Program Perumahan Rakyat Termiskin (Poorest Rakyat Housing Programmes) built throughout Sabah, including the chief minister’s own constituency in Tuaran.

“Thus, the claim that ‘Shafie did nothing’ is 1,000 percent lies and slander from Sabah’s number one leader. It is no wonder supporters of his party love to spread slander, since their number one leader himself leads by example,” he said. - FMT