Anifah says appearance with Opposition on Malaysia Agreement misconstrued

This surfaced when Mohd Shafie delivered several 'ceramah' (talks) in Sabah last month.

In fact, Anifah said his involvement in a series of programmes organised by the opposition last year had also been questioned but UMNO did not take action against him for doing so.

He admitted involvement in the programme but not for personal interest and that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was made aware of it.

"True, I was on the same stage with the opposition but I want the people in Sabah to know that there is nothing more important in my principles of struggle than the rights and interest of the people in this state," he said at the Kimanis UMNO delegates' meeting at Membakut Hall here Sunday.

Anifah, who is also Kimanis UMNO division chief, said he had invited Mohd Shafie (when Mohd Shafie was still with UMNO) to participate in the discussions on the agreement but the latter refused.

"The (scrutinising details of the) agreement is obviously meant for Sabahans but he (Mohd Shafie) insisted on not taking part.

"In fact, he scolded me for sharing the same stage with the opposition," he said.

Anifah also regretted alleged lies by Mohd Shafie regarding an allocation application to develop insfrastructure in Kimanis when the latter was the Rural and Regional Development Minister.

He said Mohd Shafie claimed in his talks that Anifah applied for a small amount for the development project.

"I asked for RM50 million but he said I went to his office to ask for RM500,000. This is very insulting to the people in Kimanis, very insulting to the people of Sabah.

"What can we do with RM500,000 when he had a budget of RM15 billion when he was at the ministry," he said.

At the meeting, Kimanis UMNO unanimously supported a motion to give full support to Najib as the leader of the party and the government.