100% of my blood is Sabahan, says Shafie

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal has reiterated that he is ‘one hundred per cent Sabahan’.

The Semporna MP was responding to a remark made by a certain federal minister who had questioned the former’s ancestry, whereby the latter had claimed that Shafie was not a ‘real Sabahan’.

“He has his rights. But we Sabahans know that I was once the Deputy Defence Minister, so why is he (the federal minister) talking about ancestors?

“Do you know his ancestors? That is why I do not want to say anything,” he said when met by reporters at Warisan’s walkabout at the Foh Sang morning market on Saturday.

Shafie contended since Malaysia is a democratic country, every person would have the right to say what they like.

“But under the constitution, you must not dilute the people’s right, I have every right as a Sabahan. One hundred per cent of my blood is Sabahan. I was born here. My great grandfather’s graveyard is in Semporna.

“If he (the federal minister) wants to see my great grandfather’s graveyard, I can bring him to Semporna; and then I want to see his great grandfather’s graveyard,” he quipped.

When a reporter asked Shafie on whether or not such claims by the government can be construed as a sign of desperation, Shafie simply said that he agreed with the former’s contention.

Earlier in the press conference, Shafie also said that the government had ‘lost its touch’ on ‘what is happening on the ground’.