TAWAU – Celebrity Muslim preacher Ebit Lew now says the legal threats he faced for trying to preach and deliver aid in Semporna, Sabah was down to a misunderstanding.
Having previously claimed that he was facing a three-year jail term and RM100,000 fine if he proceeded with his endeavour, Ebit told The Vibes today that his close brush with the law was due to his aid mission being carried out without clearance from the local authorities.
“It is largely a misunderstanding. It was largely because local authorities were not informed of my plans to visit the islands.
“Now I can proceed with my plans,” said Ebit, who has been updating his social media about his humanitarian work in Sabah in recent days.
Ebit gave no explanation over what law he might have violated but a statement from Sabah Parks said that his visits to the islands of Semporna were not approved by the National Security Council (NSC).
Sabah Parks is the caretaker of all the state parks in Sabah and during the ongoing movement control order (MCO) all parks are closed for visits.
The statutory body noted that Ebit and his crew wanted to visit the islands in the Tun Sakaran Marine Park where Bajau Laut communities are, but did not have NSC clearance.
The park also noted that Ebit was allowed entry after eventually obtaining the green-light from the NSC.
The Vibes was also made to understand that Ebit’s problems were resolved.
Ebit also said he no longer plans to build a small school on one of the islands, and will instead aim to repair and pay for the electricity and rent of an existing school.
It is understood a school had been built by an NGO before it was stalled due to financial constraints.
The apparent blocking of his aid efforts by authorities had earlier triggered the ire of netizens, with many asking what laws Ebit had broken in his efforts to assist the needy communities in the east coast districts.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hazani Ghazali also said that there was nothing wrong over his aid mission, with Sabah Special Task Minister Datuk Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif as well as Sabah Local Government and Housing minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun concurring.
It was also clear from Ebit’s earlier photos in Semporna that he was not accompanied by any security personnel, suggesting that local authorities were not informed of his aid mission.
Semporna is under the Eastern Sabah Security Zone, which is under tight security due to threats of kidnappings and cross-border crimes by armed groups near the southern Philippine border.
As for the conversion of hundreds of Bajau Laut folks, Ebit may also have been unaware that many civil society groups and Islamic groups had done so previously.
Ebit and his crew are expected to return to Peninsular Malaysia from Tawau tomorrow. – The Vibes, February 3, 2021
