KUALA LUMPUR – Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has reiterated calls to debate the issue of claims made by heirs of the Sulu sultanate in Parliament.
Despite the government holding a closed-door briefing on the matter this evening, Shafie said the opposition politicians who attended the meeting had aired their views on the need for the debate.
“This is because there is no secret to what we want to voice out,” he told reporters when met after the meeting at the Seri Pacific Hotel, here.
“And our stance on the issue is strong, not only in the context of national sovereignty but for the security of our country.”
Asked whether he was satisfied with the outcome of the briefing, Shafie brushed it aside as something “normal”.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah – who was among the leaders chairing the briefing – said the meeting had gone smoothly.
“We have taken note of the concerns raised by the opposition members,” he said.
Both Shafie and Saifuddin had kept mum on the details of the briefing, which is said to have been placed under the Official Secrets Act.
An observation of the meeting outside the hotel’s ballroom showed that all those in attendance were made to wear stickers carrying the word “rahsia”, and were also made to leave their smartphones at the counter outside the venue.
The two were among several dozen ministers and MPs from the government and opposition who attended the confidential meeting regarding the claims by heirs of the Sulu sultanate on the country’s assets.
Among those spotted entering the hotel’s Pacific Ballroom were Law Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, and Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Nancy Shukri, among others.
The list of MPs in attendance also included Hannah Yeoh (Segambut), Teresa Kok (Seputeh), Teo Nie Ching (Kulai), Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (Arau), Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir (Jerlun), Datuk Khairuddin Aman Razali (Kuala Nerus), Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (Kota Belud), Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz (Bachok), Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (Kota Baru), and Maria Chin Abdullah (Petaling Jaya).
Reporters on site were told that Bukit Aman has issued a gag order on the details and that the matters discussed have been placed under the Official Secrets Act.
During a presser in the Dewan Rakyat earlier today, Kulai MP Teo had claimed she, along with other independent MPs and those from the opposition bloc, had received a “confidential” invitation to attend a briefing at the hotel in the capital, which was to be conducted by three ministers.
Teo had said the MPs were to be briefed by Wan Junaidi, Saifuddin and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed. – The Vibes, July 21, 2022
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