ONLINE news portal SabahKini2 has refused to apologise for or retract a controversial article after being demanded to do so by the Sabah Council of Churches. 

In its latest entry at 10.11pm today, the portal’s editors said they were merely exercising “freedom of press” over its report focused on Parti Warisan leader Shafie Apdal.

“We need to backtrack to the main issue. The issue being discussed, its viral and controversial nature, stems from the statement Shafie made on Christianity in Keningau,” the editors wrote.

They were referring to The Malaysian Insight’s November 19 report, in which Shafie branded Sabah’s BN Christian leaders hypocrites. 

However, it could not be ascertained how the Keningau statements were connected to the Sabah Council of Churches, whose president, Bishop Melter Jiki Tais, called for the apology and retractment.

SabahKini2 said that during the church leader’s courtesy call on Chief Minister Musa Aman on November 22, Melter had said: “It was not right for a political leader to use religion to gain political mileage.”

This has since been denied by Melter, who said that the portal had “put words in his mouth”.

Melter had earlier tried to contact the operators of the news portal to demand an explanation, but was unable to find them.

On whether he was still considering pursuing legal action following the portal’s latest entry, Melter said he would consult his lawyer.

“I have received feedback from some church  members who said not to take legal action. I will consult my lawyer.” – November 25, 2017.