Stop Musa before the court decision turns against him, said the opposition leader in Sabah

PETALING JAYA: Sabah opposition leader rescinded former chief minister Musa Aman's arrest just days before High Court ruled on legitimate head of state as tactic alarming and political persecution.

Addressing the FMT, Jeffrey Kitingan said that there were clearly "hidden hands" during the arrest of the MP for Sungai Sibuga yesterday, and warned that this move would backfire. the government.

"This is nothing more than an attempt to destabilize Musa supporters before the trial. If not, why wait so long before taking action against him? Said Kitingan, MP for Keningau.

He claimed that it was not the first time that the federal government was trying to influence the outcome of Sabah's policy.

"I think his arrest was likely because the judgment will be positive for us, which is why the arrest was intended to destabilize the opposition and create a negative perception of Musa in the eyes of the public. . "

He added that the arrest would turn against the government, as it was clear to the public that Musa's detention and charges were politically motivated.

"Above all, it will not change the facts of the case that Musa is the legitimate Chief Minister."

Musa, 67, was arrested yesterday by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). He faces 35 counts of corruption for alleged crimes committed in Singapore and Hong Kong between 2004 and 2008. The transactions involved would be between $ 28,500 and $ 16,148,547, for a total amount of RM 263 million.

Musa said that he had been acquitted of his charges in 2012, when the then law minister, Nazri Aziz, told Dewan Rakyat that the Chambers of the Attorney General had not found any element of corruption in the evidence provided by the MACC.

Analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi of Universiti Malaya disagrees over Musa's arrest, saying the sentiments expressed in Sabah were favorable to Chief Minister Shafie Apdal and his administration.

He added that he thought the support for Warisan and Pakatan Harapan would increase among those who wanted Musa to be punished.

"But for the observers, the arrest seems to be of a political nature since it comes just before the courts decide on the identity of the real chief minister," he said. declared.

He added that although Musa was subject to legal proceedings, it was up to the courts to decide on his innocence.

Tony Paridi Bagang, an analyst at Sabah UiTM, however, said the timing of Musa's arrest could be a coincidence, as the MACC is only doing its job.

"The rule of law must prevail and no one is above the law," he said.