KOTA KINABALU: Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) is disappointed that former federal minister Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi took to describing the 2013 Lahad Datu intrusion as a "sandiwara" (drama).
PCS president Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, in a statement today, said the Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) leader's speech, which went viral on social media, was an insult to the security forces and a betrayal to Sabah.
"During the 2013 intrusion in Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu, 235 terrorists landed in Sabah from Siminul Island in the Philippines.
"10 Malaysian security personnel were killed in the fighting, including several ambushes. This Warisan leader has described their sacrifices as 'drama'.
"Where is the respect of the Warisan leader for the Malaysian security forces who have been killed while defending Sabah's sovereignty?" he asked.
Anifah said such a statement, coming from an election candidate, not only hurt the comrades-in-arms but also family members of the security forces.
Mohamaddin is contesting for the new Segama seat in the upcoming Sabah polls, which is within Lahad Datu parliamentary constituency.
Anifah remarked that Warisan should be ashamed of this, adding that the people should reject such a leader.
In a two-minute-30-second video footage, Mohamaddin is seen delivering his speech where he said there was a war in Tanduo prior to the 2013 General Election (GE13).
"The (fighter) jet came into Tanduo, bombard people's oil palm, destroying their plantation. The people's houses were damaged from shootings.
"After that, (army) tanks entered villages to go to war with the chickens. Fighting with who? Chicken. and dogs. Then when the election was over, there was no war," he said in the video.
He went on to say when he was the Parti Bersatu Sabah elected representative for Lahad Datu in 1986, there was no presence of people armed with guns to fight or seize Sabah.
"At the time when it was said Umno would lose (in the 2013 general election), there was a war in Tanduo. Many people died because of the 'sandiwara' - a theatrical lie," he added.
The Lahad Datu standoff occurred in Feb 2013, which lasted until March. The GE13 was held on May 5, 2013, which saw Barisan Nasional (BN) retaining the federal government, as well as the Sabah state government.
