KOTA KINABALU, Jan 6 — Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has denied the photo of him distributing money to people, which viral today, had taken place in Kimanis where the campaigning is ongoing for the by-election.
Describing the issue as a dirty tactic used by the Opposition party, Mohd Shafie who is also Sabah Chief Minister said the photo was taken during his visit to Sandakan recently to attend programmes with Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.
“After the programmes ended, I went to pray at a mosque and I gave out alms to the locals as we know they are poor people... it has nothing to do with the Kimanis by-election.
“Logically, people in Sandakan do not vote in Kimanis. This is a dirty tactic by the Opposition,” he told reporters after attending a farewell event held for former Finance Permanent Secretary Datuk Bahari Hassan here today.
Mohd Shafie was commenting on the viral photo alleging him giving out money to voters in Kimanis.
Mohd Shafie also pointed out other dirty tactics by the Opposition while campaigning for the by-election.
“They claimed that I had failed to develop Sabah when I was the Rural and Regional Development Minister under the administration of Barisan Nasional (BN). They have to know that the RM5 billion allocated (for the ministry) was not for Sabah alone, I had to look after the whole of Malaysia,” he asserted.
He also urged the opposition not to politicise the issue of Christmas celebrations held in Membakut recently.
“It was a Christmas celebration and held coincidently with Kimanis by-election. Thus, do not politicise the issue. I have never heard people lodge police reports against Christmas celebrations.
“I have never heard of restrictions for holding festive celebrations during the by-elections. I was invited to the event under my capacity as the chief minister, and all we want to do is to unite the people of various races in the country,” he said. — Bernama
