KOTA KINABALU – Two Sabah assemblymen who tried to raise the controversial Sulu claim over the state and the Nature Conservation Agreement in the House were told to refrain from going further into the two issues.
Alias Sani (Sekong-Warisan) and Datuk Ewon Benedick (Kadamaian-Upko) had their speeches interrupted by Deputy Speaker Datuk Ahmad Abdul Rahman, who told the two to stop talking about these issues during the policy debate yesterday.
Ahmad told Alias not to bring up the NCA as Sabah Governor Tun Juhar Mahiruddin had made no mention of it during his speech to open the current sitting on March 16, and told Alias to stick to the issues.
Meanwhile, Benedick was just about to start his speech when Ahmad interjected and told him that the so-called RM62.5 billion award to the heirs of the sultanate of Sulu by a foreign arbitrator was not related to the governor’s policy speech.
But Benedick insisted and said: “I am raising this because it is the people of Sabah’s concern.
“All I wanted to do is for the assembly to stand together to support Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor in Sabah not recognising the Sulu claim.
“This needs to be done in the assembly,” said Benedick.
Ahmad again interrupted Benedick when he tried to raise the NCA in his speech.
“The agreement has already been clarified as the Sabah attorney-general said that the agreement was impotent.
“Please don’t mention it again. The matter is still being discussed. Please do not drag me into this agreement,” he said.
To this, Benedick decided not to continue his NCA argument on the deputy speaker’s insistence.
After delivering his speech, Benedick told The Vibes that all the questions and motions on the NCA had been rejected because the agreement awaits court proceedings. – The Vibes, March 22, 2022
