POLICE have summoned Sepanggar lawmaker Mohd Azis Jamman to give a statement regarding his speech in Parliament earlier this month when he said there were growing calls for Sabah to secede. 

Azis said today that he is being investigated for the speech he gave when debating the Supply Bill 2022 at the policy stage on November 9.

“I’m quite surprised, after I was informed by the police. Especially since I touched on the voices and complaints of Sabahans on the allocations given to Sabah,” the Warisan Sabah MP said during a press conference in Parliament today.

“I want everyone to know that I have been called by the police over my speech on the rights of Sabahans. It is disappointing,” said the former deputy home minister.

“But I stand by what I said in Parliament and we will continue our fight on any issues that are unfair to Sabah.

“I hope the government will explain this as other MPs also voiced the same thing,” said Azis.

On November 9, Azis warned Putrajaya that the voices urging for Sabah to leave Malaysia are growing louder due to the unfair treatment given to the state, which is among the poorest states in the country.

Before Azis, Sabah Deputy Chief Minister II Jeffrey Kitingan (Keningau-STAR) had similarly said that 60% of East Malaysians were in favour of Sabah and Sarawak leaving Malaysia. 

Parliamentary privilege provides MPs with legal immunity to discuss matters freely in Parliament but does not apply in cases involving the Sedition Act 1948.

In 1982, Barisan Nasional MP Mark Koding was convicted for questioning the existence of Chinese and Tamil schools and the use of both languages on signboards. – November 23, 2021.