KOTA KINABALU, Sept 23 — The statement made by Warisan candidate Datuk Mohammaddin Ketapi that the Malaysian policemen and soldiers were fighting with chickens and dogs during the 2013 Sulu militant intrusion in Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu, is disgusting and is an absolute insult to the 10 security forces personnel who perished in the incident.
Former Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman said if not because of the commitment of the security forces to ensure that the Sabah remains as part of Malaysia, Mohammaddin’s campaign during the state polls would not be running smoothly and he would not be able to move around the state so freely.
“If he could say such things so openly, imagine what he could say in a closed-door meeting with the voters. What came out of his mouth must have lingered in his mind for quite some time, which made him say it so arrogantly in public and even uploaded it to Facebook.
“What was more upsetting was hearing the audience laughed at his ‘joke’ on the Tanduo incident. How easy it was for some people to forget the sacrifices the security forces made so that they could live,” he said in a statement.
Recently, a short video clip of the election campaign speech made by Mohamaddin, a former federal minister and Warisan candidate for Segama seat in the state election, went viral over social media after he belittled the security forces in Lahad Datu intrusion and called it a farce, causing anger among many quarters.
Musa said Muhammaddin needs to be taught a lesson and needs to learn that the security forces were under the general authority of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and had nothing to do with any political parties, be it Barisan Nasional or Warisan.
He said the Warisan leader should think hard before saying anything that could cause disharmony among the people.
“He thinks that he could unite the people by belittling the military and the police. He was right. The people now stand united against him and his party,” he added.
