The photo of Nurul Izzah (left) with Jacel Kiram holding up posters calling for the release of Nurul Izzah's father, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, that went viral on social media.
KUALA LUMPUR: Lembah Pantai Member of Parliament Nurul Izzah Anwar must apologise to Malaysians especially in Sabah following her action in meeting Jacel Kiram, who had connections with the armed intrusion incident in Lahad Datu, Sabah in 2013.
Barisan Nasional (BN) Strategic Communications director Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said Nurul Izzah could not give any excuse because none would legitimise her action.
"For Nurul Izzah to meet and be cordial with an individual who openly supports the armed intrusion in Sabah is not acceptable," said the Kota Belud Member of Parliament in a statement Thursday.
A picture of the meeting in the Philippines was uploaded by Jacel on Nov 9 in her Facebook account.
Abdul Rahman said Nurul Izzah should not have met with an enemy of the nation who had declared openly supporting the armed attack on Sabah, regardless of the excuse to meet Jacel, who is the daughter of Jamalul Kiram III, who ordered the intrusion.
"We all know Jacel Kiram openly supports the armed intrusion in Kampung Tanduo, Sabah. Why was YB Nurul Izzah willing to meet with Jacel Kiram? This is a major mistake," he said.
Abdul Rahman said Nurul Izzah could meet anyone she wanted in the Philippines because it is the right of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-president but the meeting with Jacel was unacceptable.
"Imagine the feelings of the people of Sabah especially the families of the members of the security forces who were viciously killed by the terrorists in the armed intrusion incident," said Abdul Rahman, who is also Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister.
Abdul Rahman also reminded Nurul Izzah that Jacel Kiram's supporters were still finding ways to conquer Sabah including through armed intrusions.
"The faster YB Nurul Izzah apologises, the better. Otherwise, don't blame the Sabah state government if in the future the state government does not allow YB Nurul Izzah to visit the state," he said.
Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the government was studying to refer the Lembah Pantai member of parliament to the Parliamentary Rights and Privileges Committee.
"How could a member of Parliament be prepared to meet with a 'spokesman' of the terrorist group who had intruded our country, in fact holding a poster with the wording – FILIPINO FRIENDS?
"What is the motive behind the meeting with the spokesman of this terrorist group? To me, the meeting is as though inviting foreign intervention in the internal affairs of our country and she had also contravened the pledge made as a member of Parliament," she said in a statement.
She said the action by Nurul Izzah was most regretful and contravened the pledge of a member of Parliament to be loyal to the nation.
In February, 2013, a group of armed men from southern Philippines intruded into the national waters in boats and gathered in stages at Felda Sahabat 17, Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu.
A battle broke out on March 1, 2013 between the Malaysian security forces and the intruders when they tried to escape from a police cordon in Kampung Tanduo.
Two members of the security forces were killed and three others were injured while 12 armed intruders were killed in the incident.
A day later, six policemen were killed in an ambush in the Kampung Simunul water village in Semporna and two soldiers were killed during a battle and accident in an operation in Lahad Datu.
On Thursday, Nurul Izzah in a statementhad admitted she met Jacel on Nov 9, when she was in the Philippines with Batu MP Tian Chua as part of a PKR delegation to meet with various stakeholders in the country.
- Source: Bernama via Astro Awani | November 20, 2015
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