Authorities deny Filipinos died in detention; Samsuri shows who's boss in PN-BN pact: DAP MP

 

Immigration

• The Sabah Immigration Department has denied viral claims on social media that several Filipino nationals have died in detention centres due to overcrowding.

  At the state department level, all Filipino nationals in detention centres are in good condition while undergoing repatriation, said its director, SH Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof.

  In a statement today, she said detainees have been provided with appropriate treatment and protection, including basic facilities, food, and necessary medical services.

  According to checks by Malaysiakini, a source for the allegations could be from the Facebook account of Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram, who claims to be an heir of the now-defunct Sulu Sultanate.

Politics

• Kampar MP Chong Zhemin said Perikatan Nasional chief Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar’s dismissal of comments by his BN counterpart, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, on Kedah Menteri Besar Sanusi Nor exposes the unequal dynamic within the BN-PN cooperation.

  In a statement today, Chong said Zahid’s attempt to stop Sanusi from using racial and religious issues during the campaign was effectively ignored, as Samsuri treated it as merely Zahid’s personal opinion.

  

  Perikatan Nasional chairperson Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar

  “This episode shows that PAS is determining the political direction and campaign narrative of the cooperation, while BN is left reacting to the controversy and absorbing the political damage.

  “BN voluntarily entered this cooperation and must accept responsibility for its consequences, because it cannot collect PAS votes during an election and then deny responsibility when PAS leaders make divisive statements,” Chong said.

  Yesterday, Zahid urged Sanusi, who is PN election director, to stop playing up racial and religious issues during the Negeri Sembilan state election campaign, further urging him to stay in his own state. - Mkini