Tenom: A Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) representative from Kampung Saga, Pengiran Ambirau, 61, lodged a police report on Monday against Warisan President Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal for allegedly referring to the Murut community as “kafir” (infidels) during an event in Melalap.
Pengiran expressed his strong dissatisfaction with Shafie Apdal’s remarks made on Sept. 7, lodging the report at the district station the day after.
He regretted that the former Federal Minister who served as a Sabah Chief Minister from 2018 till 2020 insulted and belittled Murut ethnicity and religion, saying he filed the report to defend the dignity of the Murut people.
Pengiran said his intention is to prevent the politicisation of the Murut community and to ensure they are not subjected to further disrespect.
“This report is to uphold the honour of the Murut race and to prevent them from being used for political gain or being insulted again,” he said.
Meanwhile, United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) Tenom Division Chief Junik Bajik urged Shafie to issue an open apology to the Murut people, in particular, and all Sabahans and Malaysians in general with an undertaking that he would never utter such disparaging statements again.
He said although Shafie later claimed it was a slip of the tongue, issues touching on ethnic sensitivities should not have been raised in political speeches.
“The remark made in public was deeply offensive, especially to the Murut community. It also affected other non-Muslim indigenous groups, as the term carried a very sensitive and insulting connotation,” he said.
Junik said this was not the first time Shafie had made controversial statements, recalling an earlier occasion when he described the Chinese community as “ekor” (term for animal) saying “there is not a single one in the Cabinet”.
“Offensive remarks like this clearly show insensitivity towards Sabah’s diverse communities, who have long lived in harmony. Such actions must be condemned as they can incite ethnic tension and threaten unity,” he said.