KOTA KINABALU: About 50 people, led by Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) president Jeffrey Kitingan, lodged a joint police report against self-styled Sulu sultan Mohd Akjan Ali, demanding action be taken against the latter.
Jeffrey said they wanted the government to take “firm” action against Akjan for his alleged claim in a video that a number of races in the state were “first-class natives” while Kadazans and Dusuns were not.
He said the people who came today, including opposition leaders and NGOs, represented the indigenous communities in Sabah. Similar reports would be made at police stations statewide soon, he added.
“We filed the report because, so far, we have yet to see any action from the government to curb what we see as a provocation, instigation, incitement and treason to Malaysia,” he said at the city police headquarters here today.
The Keningau MP said: “He calls himself the Sulu sultan… where do you have such a place in Sabah? Sulu is on that side (the Philippines). This also suggests that he is trespassing here,” Jeffrey said.
“And what did he mean when he said ‘don’t disturb the hornet’s nest’? Such videos or recordings threaten the peace and harmony in Sabah.
“So we want strict and quick action by the authorities because this has created a tense feeling among the people – we don’t feel safe if nothing is done,” Jeffrey said.
Before this Jeffrey had criticised Akjan over his alleged claim that there were more than a million people in the state with Suluk, Bajau Ubian, Sibutu, Simunul and Kagayan parentage who were “first class natives” under the Sabah constitution.
In the same video, Akjan had purportedly said nothing was mentioned in the state constitution about the Kadazan and Dusun groups.
Jeffrey said Akjan was “clearly instigating his people” and had “insulted the indigenous communities in Sabah”
A host of other local leaders, including Sabah Assistant Finance Minister Kenny Chua, who is also Sabah PKR vice-chairman, have also previously slammed Akjan for making the claim in a Youtube video which has been shared widely in social media since over a week ago.
The PKR Penampang division had lodged a police report against Akjan on Jan 30.
Meanwhile, Parti Cinta Sabah president Wilfred Bumburing dismissed a claim made by Akjan who said the Kadazandusun Murut (KDM) groups had always viewed people from the Philippines as “pilak”, a derogatory term used to describe Filipino illegal immigrants in the state.
“Actually, Sabahans have never insulted anyone but what we’re actually fighting for, and protest against, is the presence of illegal immigrants without differentiating their nationalities.
“Illegal immigrants here are not only from the Philippines but also from Indonesia, China and Pakistan, among others.
“We are not singling out any race but want the laws to be enforced and tightened,” Bumburing said.
De facto law minister Liew Vui Keong, when asked about Akjan’s claim previously, had said that there was no such classification of Suluk as “first-class natives” in the state or federal constitutions. -FMT
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