MOHD Shafie Apdal has apologised for Mohamaddin Ketapi’s suggestion that the Lahad Datu incursion in 2013 was a farce as anger against it continues to boil in Sabah.

The statement also appears to be a move from the Warisan president to calm anger among security personnel who are voting in the Sabah election today as early voters.

In a statement, Shafie said the remarks were “spontaneous and misunderstood” and at no time the Segama candidate intended to mock servicemen.

“(He) had no intention to mock our soldiers and security personnel who sacrificed their lives for the country and its people,” he said in a statement today as social media and former servicemen raged against the former tourism, culture and arts minister’s remarks on the invasion.

Though Mohamaddin had apologised, the criticism towards him continues.

In defending himself, Mohamaddin yesterday said the previous BN government had failed to strengthen the country’s border assets, which then led to the incursion.

“My remarks have been misunderstood. I had never belittled or insulted our nation’s security forces, who have fought hard to defend our sovereignty from invaders,” he said in a statement.

Mohamaddin said the viral video should have been played in its entirety and not merely refer to the incident.

“Nevertheless, I wish to apologise to security personnel if the video hurt their feelings,” he added.

Shafie said as a former deputy defence minister, he understood the struggles faced by the security forces in securing the country’s borders.

“Each personnel on the ground is not just ready to sacrifice their lives for the security of the people but also has to be apart from their loved ones when they are on duty,” he said in the statement.

The Sabah chief minister said the state appreciates the sacrifices made by security personnel and this is why the Sabah government had allocated RM10 million to frontliners, including RM1 million each to the police force and the army, which no other state had done.

“Though this amount is not much compared to the risks and sacrifices these heroes make, it proves the Sabah government’s commitment, even though security agencies come under the federal government’s purview,” he said.

Mohamaddin’s remarks drew criticisms from Perikatan Nasional ministers Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Mohamed Azmin Ali, as well as former foreign minister Anifah Aman, including calls for the former to apologise.

The Lahad Datu incursion saw 235 militants land in Sabah after arriving by boat from Siminul Island in the Philippines. 

By the end of the standoff, around 56 militants were dead, together with six civilians and 10 Malaysian security personnel. The rest of the militants were either captured, or escaped back to the Philippines. – Bernama, September 22, 2020.