KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal will submit another motion to the Sabah State Legislative Assembly seeking to discuss and debate on the potential security threats posed by the self-proclaimed heirs to the Sulu sultanate.
This comes after the Parti Warisan president’s motion was rejected by the Speaker, Datuk Kadzim M Yahya, earlier on Monday (July 18).
Shafie said it was vital for the state’s lawmakers to debate the issue in the current sitting because it involved matters related to Sabah’s sovereignty as well as national security.
The Senallang assemblyman added there was also a pressing need to discuss the matter after the stunt pulled by the self-proclaimed heirs involving PETRONAS assets in Azerbaijan as well as the incursion by terrorists from Sulu in Sabah’s east coast Lahad Datu district in 2013.
He said both incidents, among others, have gained much attention from the international community.
“This motion (to debate the issue) is not only meant to ensure our security and sovereignty are properly taken care of but it is also meant to protect lives,” he told reporters at Warisan’s office here.
The former Sabah chief minister said he will submit a fresh motion on Tuesday (July 19) morning.
Earlier during the debate session, Kadzim said he decided to reject the motion which was submitted at 11.25am, as it was against Rule 23(2), which required motions to be submitted more than 24 hours before a sitting was scheduled.
Shafie then responded that it wasn’t necessary for the issue to be discussed during the present day, adding it could be held at any other time during the four-day sitting which ends on Thursday (July 21).
He said Sabahans have been haunted by the issue for decades now, adding he will also table the motion in the Dewan Rakyat next week.
“I am not recognising the legitimacy of the heirs but this involves our laws and legislation. There must be a voice from the Sabah state assembly (representing) Sabahans,” he said.
Kadzim said it was best that Shafie raised the matter in Parliament as security matters were under the Federal list and should be addressed by the Federal government.
At the same press conference, Shafie also urged the government to add more manpower and pump in more funds to beef up the security needs in Sabah.
He asked how much of the billions of ringgit allocated to the Home and Defence Ministries during the Federal Budget last year were actually meant to improve security in the state.
"Spend more money on equipment and place more security personnel, be it from the military or police. And post them where they are most needed, not in places where there are no security risks.
“There is not even a single helicopter base in Lahad Datu, Sandakan or Tawau. The closest is in Labuan which is a Federal Territory.
“We need a base, including for jet fighter aircraft and advanced technology as a form of deterrence,” said Shafie.
He added that he was also made to understand that 80% of the radars in Sabah were either not properly functioning or were poorly maintained.
“I recall a time when I was the chief minister, the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) asked me for help to buy fuel so they could do their patrols.
“So, I approved RM500,000 to Esscom despite such matters not coming under the state list. But I did not want to see it that way because it involved people's lives.
“I hope our prime minister and the national leadership pay attention to Sabah’s needs,” Shafie said.
