It's not about politics, says Sabah CM

By OLIVIA MIWIL | news@nst.com.my 

MOVE ON: Musa explains action against Nurul Izzah

KOTA KINABALU: SABAH has always welcomed visitors who genuinely want to see and embrace its ethnic and cultural diversities,  as well as participate in the state's festivities.

However, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said he had reason to believe the presence of PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar here on the eve of the Kaamatan harvest festival would pose a threat to the state's peace.

"Nurul Izzah's intentions in coming to Sabah this time around may not be as innocent as she and her fellow opposition members make it out to be."

He said contrary to what was being spread in social media, the ban was not politically motivated.

"Other opposition leaders have come here and moved freely throughout Sabah, especially during the run-up to the elections.

"The state government did not stop them, even though they were spreading the same old recipe of lies, deceit and slander to hoodwink the people."

Musa said the people in the state did not welcome the opposition's endless propaganda, which could incite hatred and mistrust against the Barisan Nasional government.

The opposition leaders, he said, wanted to rile up the masses to rally throughout the country in a show of discontent over the election results.

"They have been politicking for the last five years. Are we going to get bogged down by more politicking in the next five years?

"Enough is enough and we need to move on. The country needs to be administered, the economy needs to grow and the people's welfare needs to be taken care of."

Federation of Chinese Associations of Sabah president Datuk T.C. Goh said yesterday the government made decisions based on the necessity to uphold peace and harmony, in accordance with the law, since the country's formation.

"This should be respected and not 'twisted' for malicious reasons. The people can do without the endless political propaganda to incite hatred and mistrust."

Nurul Izzah had claimed that she was accepting an invitation by Penampang member of parliament Darrel Leiking as his "personal guest" to join the Kaamatan festival celebration on May 30 and 31.

She denied reports that she had planned to hold demonstrations at the Kadazandusun Cultural Association premises.

The Sabah Law Association, Advocates Association of Sarawak and Malaysian Bar, in a joint statement, had criticised the move to bar her entry, claiming that the decision was against Article 9 of the Federal Constitution, which guarantees freedom of movement.

However, Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz had said the state Immigration Department had its own reasons for doing so within the allocation of the law.