The State Reform Party (Star Sabah) chief Jeffrey Kitingan has advised Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, federal leaders and the authorities to stop behaving like "colonial masters and warlords".

"They should stop the harassment of Sabah rights activists and Sabahans wishing for a better deal and future for the state in Malaysia," he said.

He was responding to reports that 10 Sabahans of an NGO called Semangat Sehati Perjuangan Rakyat (SSPR) were called in to give their statements at the Ranau police district headquarters on Tuesday under investigations for sedition on an incident in Tambunan.

“The use of the purported investigations is a clear-cut abuse of power to lord over and control Sabahans to ensure Umno/Malaya’s dominance and colonisation over Sabah,” added  Kitingan ( right ), also the Bingkor assemblyperson.

The team of four police investigators from IPD Keningau questioned SPR’s 10 members for almost six hours on what were contained in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the collection of signatures on Sabah rights.

Kitingan said that although it was reported that the investigators acted professionally and courteously, it was still an abuse of power. 

Refer to AG's chambers

“There is nothing criminal or wrong for any Sabahan to seek restoration of the rights, privileges and autonomy of the Sabah that were taken away or eroded since the formation of Malaysia in 1963,” he said in a statement.

However, the investigators were reported to have said that the matter would be referred to the attorney-general for further directions, he said.

Kitingan said that before this, two other alleged members of SSPR were also called for by IPD Ranau police and investigated under the Peaceful Assembly Act for allegedly collecting signatures in a signature campaign for Sabah rights in Ranau and in Kundasang.

He said the authorities should not interfere with the movement of activists who are merely  fighting for the rights of Sabah in accordance with the law.

“The police ought to know that the Court of Appeal has decided in the case of Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad that the federal constitution guarantees the freedom of assembly, and it was unconstitutional to impose the unlawful requirement of giving notice to the police.  

“It is clear cut law by which the police are not abiding by and using to harass the Sabah activists and rights nationalists,” he said.

Kitingan pointed out that Sabah nationalists and activists are not advocating Sabah or inciting Sabahans to secede from Malaysia.  

"It is regrettable that SSPR based on the truth is seen as seditious by the Umno-led federal government. 

“The federal government should listen to the grievances of the people and find out the reasons for their unhappiness,” said Kitingan.