SAPP: Warisan must explain why it's fielding former ISA detainee in Sekong

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) must explain why it chose to field a candidate who has confessed to being a donor to a suspected international terrorist organisation, says Datuk Yong Teck Lee (pic).

The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) also said Warisan candidate Alias Sani is contesting in Sekong, a state constituency located in the parliamentary constituency of the party’s election operations director Datuk Liew Vui Keong.

“It is a very worrying thing if Liew and his team chose such a candidate without any explanation, ” he said in a statement Tuesday (Sept 15).

Yong, who was referred to news reports, said Alias was previously detained by the authorities for suspected involvement in the Jemaah Islamiah extremist movement.

He said while Alias denied being a terrorist, he did admit to having made donations that caused him to be detained by the authorities.

Last Sunday (Sept 13), Alias made a statement denying he was a religious extremist, stating that he was “just a person who loves to study Islam and donate whenever I can”.

Alias, who was once a detainee under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in Kamunting, said he was arrested and accused of funding militant activities, but there was no proof he was involved in such activities.

He said his detention in Kamunting from 2003 to 2007 was also for preventive purposes as there was never any conviction against him.