Kota Kinabalu: Gerakan Kuasa Rakyat Malaysia (G57) Chairman Datuk Zulkarnain Mahdar criticised Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal for claiming that Sabahans working in the peninsula have become prostitutes.
“It is not only a disgusting lie but exposes the Warisan leader’s desperation as polling day approaches. Sabahans have gone to the peninsula for work long before Shafie became Chief Minister. To call them ‘prostitutes’ is irresponsible,” he said, after lodging a report. The remarks were reportedly uttered at a ceramah in Tuaran.
Zulkarnain noted that Shafie himself governed Sabah from 2018 to 2020, the same period many Sabahans sought employment there.
He said the comments insult not only blue-collar workers but also Sabahans in professional sectors, including engineers, doctors, hotel managers and civil servants.
Zulkarnain said it has angered families with children studying or working in the peninsula, with many contacting him.
“Sabahans working honest jobs deserve respect, not smeared. I’ve lived in the peninsula since 2018. I ran a sizeable food business there. I never once encountered what he is alleging,” he said.
Zulkarnain also urged police, MCMC and the Attorney General’s Chambers to investigate Shafie under defamation and communications laws and that he learnt that Sabahans there would be lodging reports.
Zulkarnain also lodged a report against controversial businessman Albert Tei, accusing him of peddling politically motivated content through a viral video that allegedly ties him to national leaders.
He said the video contains claims that Tei acted on instructions from political figures, calling it “another attempt to distort public perception right before polling.”“This man (Albert) has a history. He denied giving money to politicians in court, but then told a different story outside. His credibility is a big question mark,” he said.
Zulkarnain reminded the public that Tei once applied for 13 licences to exploit Sabah’s land and mineral resources.
“You don’t apply for 13 licences because you love Sabah. You apply because you want something. Two days before polling, he pops up again.”