SAPP tells Umno to prove Sipaun wrong
March 10, 2011 Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) urged Umno leaders to "stop making use of the government machinery like the police and oppressive laws like the Internal Security Act (ISA)" to suppress freedom of speech in the country, Sabah in particular.
More so when the speech made contained an "inconvenient truth" that the present administration refused to accept, for reasons best known to it.
SAPP Information Chief Chong Pit Fah was responding to a police report lodged by an Umno leader in Tawau against former Suhakam Vice Chairman Tan Sri Simon Sipaun over his statement that life in Sabah was better prior to joining Malaysia in 1963.
The police report was made based on Sipaun's closing remarks at the inter-party dialogue cum leadership seminar organised by United Borneo Front (UBF) here last Saturday.
The said Umno Tawau leader called on Sipaun to retract the statement.
"Instead of constantly suppressing the people's right to speak and to highlight issues affecting the country using all kinds of high-handed tactics, Umno leaders should learn to confront criticisms more intelligently and rationally by discussing and debating them," Chong contended.
He challenged Umno leaders in the State to point out which part of Sipaun's statement was found to be offensive and creating confusion among the people.
Chong who was present during the dialogue-cum-seminar maintained that Sipaun, who is a former State Secretary, was speaking the truth based on his own experiences.
"This clearly shows that the BN government, Umno in particular can't handle the truth and are constantly in denial mode. We want to challenge the Sabah BN leaders, particularly Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan who is the longest serving Minister in Sabah to deny and at the same time point out which part of Sipaun's speech is instigating in nature."
Chong who is also SAPP Kepayan chief further said if none of the Sabah BN and Umno leaders could explicitly point out what is wrong in Sipaun's speech, they ought to publicly apologise to Sipaun.
Failing which, this would only reflect their sheer arrogance, ignorance and disrespect to the history of this country, especially the contributions of Sabah in forming the Federation of Malaysia back in 1963.
He also urged the public to listen to Sipaun's full speech which SAPP has uploaded onto its web TV sabahtv.net, to judge for themselves.
Kita berusahalah menjadikan Sabah sebuah negeri yang lebih maju dan canggih supaya tidak lagi dibuli dan dipandang rendah.
BalasPadamOleh itu, sekarang kita patut bekerjasama, bukan menunding jari kerana kita mahu menyelesaikan masalah dan membagunkan negeri Sabah.
BalasPadamWhat is done is done. Sabah is now a part of Malaysia. There's no turning back.
BalasPadamThe only thing we can do now is to find solution to all the problems happening in Sabah.
BalasPadamI don't think what Sipaun said, has affecting the whole thing here.
BalasPadamIt's better said then never.
BalasPadamdaripada panjangkam isu ni, lebih baik berusaha untuk menyelesaikan masalah2 di Sabah.
BalasPadamI don't think his statement has any much affect towards the people. People can think for themselves.
BalasPadamlebih baik jika semua pihak bersama-sama berusaha untuk menjadikan Sabah lebih maju.
BalasPadamDon't put too much emotions in his words.
BalasPadamHope no need to enlarge and complicate this case anymore. We Sabahan must support govt to do better now for make Sabah more develop soon..
BalasPadamperkara penting sekarang ini adalah membangunkan sabah dan menyelesaikan semua masalah yang terdapat dinegeri ini. Masalah utama adalah PATI yang semakin berleluasa.
BalasPadamsebaiknya jika semua fokus ke depan untuk memmajukan Sabah. itu lebih penting..
BalasPadamhis wrong is when he voiced his views after he had received a lot of money(salary) from the government, and after he held various important positions in the state government administration.
BalasPadamTidak payah buang masa ke atas orang2 yang bckp tidak tentu arah.
BalasPadamI'm kinda disappointed with what was happening.
BalasPadamThis issue is not important.
BalasPadamPls move to a more important issue. Goodbye Sipaun.
BalasPadam