The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) headquarters in Kota Kinabalu was paid a surprise visit by police yesterday, all because the taboo word "Bersih" was included in its signboard.

The word was part of the slogan "Bersih, Berani and Benar".

The police told party officials that they did not like the word "Bersih" on the signboard and demanded to know why it was used.

They however had no objection to the other two words.

"The police also wanted to know why the background was yellow and why we chose July 9 to launch our online radio and TV channels," said SAPP youth leader Chester Pang in a statement released yesterday evening.

melanie chia sapp sabah wanita 180509 SAPP Women wing chief Melanie Chia ( right ), rushed to headquarters after being alerted that about 20 police personnel were questioning its youth members just after midnight, said this was harassment.

She was informed by Pang that one of the police officers had questioned him over the design and the slogan on the signboard put up outside its headquarters to mark the launching ceremony at 1pm yesterday.

The group of police officers left about an hour later when Chia and her husband arrived.

"Why is the BN so paranoid of the word Bersih and the colour yellow?" she asked.

She said this paranoid display contradicted BN government's constant projection of itself as a "Bersih, Cekap dan Amanah" (Clean, Efficient and Trustworthy) government.

This slogan was introduced and promoted by the former prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohammed, when he became the Prime Minister of Malaysia back in 1981.

Chia advised party members and the public not to be easily intimidated by the police and assured them that they had no right to demand for the removal of the signboard.

"It comes under the jurisdiction of Kota Kinabalu City Hall, which has not made any objections."

Chia also noted that the government had now banned two words in two years. The other is ‘Allah'.

Since last year the government has banned the use of the word by the non-Muslims in Peninsular Malaysia.

Several of the party members remained at the headquarters to prevent any attempt to deface the signboard and the screen.