UNFAZED BY HIS TEEN MOLEST CASE, SHAHIDAN VISIBLY SHAKES WITH ANGER IN PARLIAMENT: ‘YOU ARE A LIAR’ – UMNO MP YELLS AT DEPUTY MINISTER’S CLAIM BN NEVER TOOK GOOD CARE OF SABAH & SARAWAK’S SECURITY – YET IF SHAHIDAN IS RIGHT, WHY ARE THERE SO MANY KIDNAPPING CASES THERE PLUS LAHAD DATU INTRUSION IN SARAWAK

KUALA LUMPUR: An opposition lawmaker has called Deputy Home Minister Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman a “liar” over the latter’s allegation that the previous government had failed to ensure the security of Sabah and Sarawak.

Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (BN-Umno-Arau) hurled the insult at Azis during the question and answer session at Dewan Rakyat today.

Azis was answering Shahidan’s supplementary question on the need to beef up the number of ships patrolling Sabah and Sarawak’s coastlines due to the risk of kidnappings there.

“Due to our (Federal Government’s) financial constraints, I as a (deputy) minister from Sabah feel at wit’s end over this matter.

“I understand our financial constraints, I and those from Sabah and Sarawak support what was said by Arau.

“Among the reasons that we in Sabah were able to topple Umno and BN (in the 14th General Election) was due to the factor of security not being taken seriously by the past government,” Azis said.

A visibly angry Shahidan said: “Speaker (in reference to Deputy Speaker Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon), (Azis has) lied.

“Liar (in reference to Azis). Do not utter those words (allegation over the previous administration not taking seriously the security of Sabah and Sarawak).

“I am on good terms with YB (Yang Berhormat Azis). I have never disturbed YB,” Shahidan said to Azis.

Jumping into the fray, Willie Mongin (PKR-Puncak Borneo) told Shahidan that Azis was merely saying that the security of Sabah and Sarawak was given less weight by the past administration.

“(Azis was) Not lying. He was merely saying that (the security of Sabah and Sarawak) was paid little attention (by the previous government). If Sabah was safe, there would not be many kidnapping cases,” he said.

As more lawmakers waded into the shouting match, Rashid was forced to temporarily mute every MPs microphones so that Azis could continue giving his answer.

The situation got more heated when multiple opposition lawmakers shouted “lies” when Azis claimed that the promise made by then prime minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, to send several battalions to fortify Sabah following the 2013 incursion in Tanduo, Lahad Datu, was not carried out.

The opposition’s cries of “lies” continued when Azis further alleged that no Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency helicopter was given to Sabah by the previous government, even though Sabah, being a frontline state, was facing the risk of incursion by foreign kidnappers and others.

“I plead to the government. I feel trapped in my duty as deputy minister,” he said.

This seemed to lower the temperature, with Shahidan quipping whether Azis was an opposition member or part of the ruling coalition.

Chuckling, Azis urged the government to strengthen the security of Sabah and Sarawak, as Malaysia’s reputation was affected whenever the international media reported on kidnappings in the east coast of Sabah.

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