NGO demands action against Warisan supporters for 'defaming' Musa

Summary

• Gerakan Kuasa Rakyat Malaysia (G57) chairperson Zulkarnain Mahdar accuses Warisan supporters of defaming Sabah governor Musa Aman with corruption and forest destruction claims.

• Zulkarnain highlights Musa’s clean legal record and contributions to forest conservation, reserving over 50 percent of Sabah’s land as protected areas.

• He urges authorities to act under the Communications and Multimedia Act and investigate claims of monetary incentives given to rally participants.

The Gerakan Kuasa Rakyat Malaysia (G57) has called for action against Warisan supporters for allegedly defaming the newly appointed Sabah governor Musa Aman.

In a police report lodged at the Kota Kinabalu police station yesterday, the NGO’s chairperson Zulkarnain Mahdar named Muhamad Fadhil Muhamad Kasim and UMS Pro Warisan, accusing them of insulting Musa by alleging corruption during his time in office.

“We lodged a police report against him and the Gempur Rasuah Sabah demonstrators for maliciously defaming and insulting Musa.

“(This is) after a couple of caricature photos were uploaded on social media implicating Musa as the number one corrupt person in Sabah and the slogan that he had destroyed the forest in Sabah,” Zulkarnain (above) said, as quoted by the Borneo Post.

On Dec 31, about 50 individuals gathered for the Gempur Rasuah Sabah rally led by Suara Mahasiswa UMS, with placards displaying anti-corruption messages targeting Musa, Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor, and other state politicians.

In defending Musa, Zulkarnain emphasised that the former Chief Minister has never been convicted of any crimes and also noted that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, had carefully examined all aspects before appointing the former Chief Minister as the state governor.

READ MORE: Why is Musa Aman's appointment controversial?

He added that during Musa's tenure as chief minister, over 50 percent - or 3.9 million hectares - of Sabah's land had been permanently reserved as forest reserves, protected areas, and wildlife conservation zones through sustainable forest management policies.

“The replanted and treated forests are also located within an area of 700,000 hectares and are the largest in Malaysia,” he explained.

Zulkarnain urged the authorities, including the police, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, and the attorney-general, to act under Section 233(1) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

He also called on the MACC to investigate allegations that UMS Pro Warisan provided monetary incentives to participants of the anti-corruption rally.

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