Bumburing lodges police report over fake news
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Cinta Sabah president Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred M. Bumburing yesterday lodged a police report over an article published in an online portal which he said was not only false but the article is written maliciously, with illintent and mischievous.
Bumburing wanted the police to investigate whoever is responsible for writing the article and also the owner of the web portal (http:// sabahkini2.com).
In the article, Bumburing is alleged to have received RM1 million from Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah during the last general election which Bumburing totally denied. In the same article, Bumburing is also alleged to have received funding from Parti Warisan Sabah president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.
In his police report, Bumburing said, “The content of the article is totally false and can raise doubts among the general public and tend to question my integrity as a Sabah State Assemblyman and as president of a political party. I also find that the content of the article is malicious and confusing and could create a wrong perception from the public on my trustworthiness as a community leader.”
Bumburing also said in his police statement that he had written to the Malaysian Communications And Multimedia Commission, Sabah Office to commence an investigation on the web portal that carried the fake news.
“Upon examining the website containing the article, I found out that there is no office address, no name stated as the owner of the portal and the journalist responsible for writing the article is also not stated or displayed in any section of the webpage. My intention to lodge this police report is to clear my name and to call for an immediate investigation by the police to find out every individual responsible in making the false statements; including the owner of the website and bring them to justice in accordance to existing laws and the appropriate legal provisions,” he said.
In a statement to The Borneo Post in reponse to the article and to clarify his association with Tengku Razaleigh, Bumburing said that the allegation that he received one million ringgit during the 2013 General Election (GE13) and also funding from Shafie is a wild and serious accusation.
“This accusation is nothing more that a futile attempt to divert the people’s attention with regard to the leaders in Gabungan Sabah. This accusation is made on the basis of my association with Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah who is the founder and president of an NGO, Angkatan Amanah Merdeka Malaysia of which I am one of the deputy presidents. This NGO was formed in July 2011 when I was still an UPKO MP. This NGO is a national movement with the aim of restoring the spirit of the formation of Malaysia in 1963 in which the core mission was based on the Merdeka speech by the late Tunku Abdul Rahman. The members and leadership composition of this NGO comprised people from various ethnic, cultural and religious background regardless of political party affiliation.
“I was invited to be part of the NGO movement which was launched in Sabah prior to GE13. Besides Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah as the president, and myself as one of the deputy presidents, the other deputy presidents in this NGO includes former Information Minister Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir, former Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, former MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, former MIC Deputy President Datuk S. Subramaniam, former Deputy Education Minister the late Datuk Seri Bujang Ulis and former Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister and former Batang Lupar MP Dato’ Seri Daniel Tajem. Among the vice-presidents.were former Tuaran MP Datuk Monggoh Orow and former Sarawak assistant minister and State Reform Party (STAR) founding president, the late Dr Patau Rubis,” Bumburing clarified.