PARTI Warisan Sabah has filed a police report against Foreign Minister Anifah Aman for inciting racial hatred against the party and casting slurs on the ethnicity of its president Shafie Apdal. 

Warisan alleged that Anifah in a recent speech had accused the party of trying to uphold the self-proclaimed Sulu sultanate’s claim on Sabah. 

Anifah was addressing about 300 people at a Chinese New Year dinner in the Kimanis parliamentary constituency in Kota Kinabalu on February 9, said Warisan secretary Loretto Padua Jr.

Padua said Warisan demanded that the police investigate Anifah, who is the Kimanis MP, over the speech, which Padua said was seditious and could create racial tension in Sabah. 

“There are elements of racism in his speech. Anifah said Warisan is continuing the Sulu sultanate’s struggle to claim Sabah. 

“He also classified Bajau as non-locals and dangerous… Bajau happens to be the ethnicity of our president, Shafie Apdal,” said Padua.

“Such statements are dangerous, especially if they come from a very senior national leader.” 

Warisan leaders also handed over to police an audio recording and a transcript of Anifah’s speech.

Warisan Youth chief Azis Jamman said a copy of the audio recording was also with the party’s legal bureau.  

Azis said Anifah’s statements were untimely as Sabahans had just heard of a renewed effort by a Philippine former senator to list Sabah as a territory of the Philippines in a constitutional amendment. 

Azis was referring to Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel, a member of the Philippines Charter Change consultative committee tasked with amending the country’s 1987 constitution.

Padua said Anifah could be investigated under Sections 499 and 505 of the Penal Code, as well as Section 4 of the Sedition Act. 

Padua said Shafie was also considering his legal options against  Anifah.

An excerpted transcript of Anifah’s February 9 speech reads: 

“We must make sure that no foreigner spearheads or governs our country. I don’t mind if a Chinese, a Kadazan, a Malay or a Bruneian becomes the chief minister (of Sabah). I don’t mind. I only have one condition – the candidate person must be a genuine Sabahan.”   

“Don’t come from the islands over there, stay here for five years, 10 years, and then try to seize control.

“This is the logo that the pirates fly on their ship, this Warisan do you know… 

“I explain: this Warisan, it wants to reclaim its heritage. It says the state belongs to its ancestors. It is why the party is named Warisan – it is because it has inherited the legacy of its ancestors; it says that this belonged to the Sulu sultanate in the past therefore i will claim my inheritance.” – February 14, 2018.