Bung flips – it’s a ‘turtle fabrication’, he says

 

(Left) The original photo which the community development officer said he uploaded onto his Facebook account (Facebook pic); and the doctored one.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah deputy chief minister Bung Moktar Radin has refuted claims he had a meal that included turtle eggs, saying the photo that went viral was doctored by his political enemies to tarnish him.

Bung, who is also Kinabatangan MP and Lamag assemblyman, said the original photo without the turtle eggs had been uploaded previously by the Lamag community development officer.

“Those were actually eggs with the shells partially removed, but people went and edited it into turtle eggs … ‘Bodoh’ (it’s stupid),” said the Sabah Umno chief when contacted.

“That (meal) was months ago … It (the photo with the turtle eggs) is not real.”

He said the community development officer, only identified as Rezo, had also posted a denial on his Facebook account. Bung had reposted the denial on his Facebook page.

When asked who he thought would have made the alleged modification, he said: “I’m not trying to point fingers but who else, must be my political enemies.”

The photo, which showed Bung and Rezo giving the thumbs up during the meal, has been going viral on Facebook since this morning.

In his posting, Rezo, using the username “Rapidcdorezo”, defended Bung and included the original photo with normal eggs on a plate.

“Concerning my actions of uploading a photo together with Datuk Seri Bung which has gone viral, it (the photo) belonged to me and was edited by irresponsible quarters,” he said in a Facebook post today.

“With this, I would like to apologise to Datuk Seri for the actions of those out there who have manipulated the previous photo.”

Sabah tourism, culture and environment minister Jafry Ariffin, who is also state Umno secretary, earlier today promised an investigation after the photo surfaced online.

Bung welcomed the probe, saying he would cooperate fully.

To another question, Bung said he did not plan to lodge a police report over the matter.

“I just want to respond. Otherwise, people will say we are like Pakatan Harapan – ‘sikit-sikit police report’ (lodging police reports over the slightest incidents),” he said. - FMT