PETALING JAYA: The MP from Penampang, Sabah has come forward to defend his party’s vice-president, claiming that Nurul Izzah Anwar probably did not even know who Jacel Kiram was when she consented to take a photograph with her at an event in the Philippines.
Speaking to FMT, Darrell Leiking said, “She (Nurul) has already clarified the issue and it is clear that it was not intentional nor were there any signs of supporting the evil cause of this person called Jacel Kiram.”
Jacel is the daughter of Jamalul Kiram, the self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo, who ordered a deadly intrusion into Lahad Datu in 2013.
Leiking said that as a Sabahan, he viewed anyone who trespassed, invaded or jeopardised the state’s sovereignty as inherently “evil” but that Nurul could not be faulted in this case.
“I don’t think she (Nurul) even knew who this lady was at the time as so many people were there to meet with her too,” he said adding that the Mayor of Manila Joseph Estrada and Philippines Vice-President, Jejomar Binay were also at the event.
Leiking said that instead of criticising Nurul, the Umno-Barisan Nasional government should be brought to task for not doing enough to extradite the conspirators and co-conspirators of the Lahad Datu intrusion so they could be brought to justice.
He added that given the good relationship Prime Minister Najib Razak enjoyed with Philippines President Benigno S Aquino III, Malaysia could have requested the Philippines to officially drop their claims over Sabah, which would have rendered Jacel Kiram and her cause illegitimate.
Leiking also dismissed the notion that Sabahans were now insulted by Nurul’s actions and felt alienated by PKR because of the photograph of the duo together.
“The people of Sabah, would rather have these people (conspirators of the Lahad Datu intrusion) brought to justice.
“My question to this government is why haven’t you gone after these people?”
Leiking also said he had spoken to Nurul, and told her to be more careful about who she mingled with in the future and added, “(Nurul) Izzah probably made an error of judgment, because she didn’t know this person. She is a bit older today because of this.
“If it is such a big deal, why doesn’t the government use all the diplomatic means at their disposal to go after Jacel?”