KOTA KINABALU – Sabah assemblymen have been warned against making fun of the state government’s Sabah Maju Jaya slogan, with Deputy Speaker Datuk Abdul Rahman saying it is akin to insulting the state constitution.
He said it is the assemblymen’s duty to protect state and federal constitutions when they take their oath to become elected representatives.
“As the speaker, I am the keeper of the constitution. Take time to read the (state) constitution… Even the state flag is part of the constitution.
“When you became elected representatives, you took your oath, and vowed to work to help the people and protect the state and federal constitutions.
“But when you use the slogan in a bad light, it is wrong. If you are in Pakistan, you could get shot (if you insult the constitution). We have laws here.
“So, please avoid insulting the constitution,” said Rahman, adding that he noticed a number of assemblymen had misused the slogan when criticising the state government’s failure to address water supply disruptions.
He said this when interjecting during Jonnybone J Kurum’s (Telupid-PBS) policy debate speech today about the current water crisis.
Kurum said one WhatsApp message he received read, “Sabah Maju Jaya tapi kasih mati semua orang” (Sabah Maju Jaya but is killing everyone).
Earlier, he said department heads are no-shows during crucial meetings to address basic amenities in his constituency.
He added that the relevant ministers should check on their staffers and make sure they carry out their jobs. – The Vibes, May 24, 2023
