Liew said this is necessary to safeguard Sabah and its people from the threat of being radicalised by individuals or groups such as Perkasa.
“This may ultimately ruin the precious peaceful and harmonious setting that has been long enjoyed by the multiracial people of Sabah, long before independence,” said Liew in a statement today.
Liew was responding to Ibrahim’s statement that minorities in Sabah should stop making “nonsensical” demands and just be thankful they are recognised as Malaysians.
Ibrahim was reported to have said that minorities in Sabah should not cross the line to the point of denying the rights of the indigenous people in the state.
He was referring to the Chinese community’s demand for the recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC).
Liew, who is also Sabah PKR chairperson, rubbished such statements saying that Ibrahim is the one who was being “nonsensical”.
“Does he even know what he is talking about? Does he even know what UEC is in the first place?
“Does he even know the significance of UEC today with the emergence of China as an economic power in the world?” said the Api Api assemblyperson.
“How did he have such a ridiculous view that the demand for recognition of the long-overdue UEC is denying the rights of the indigenous people in Sabah or stepping on their heads? What’s wrong with him?”
“And who does he think he is to try to trample upon the Chinese community of Sabah by viciously pitting them against the indigenous people of Sabah?
“What’s his real motive? Or, was he just talking without thinking simply because he had to say something in order to seek attention?”
Liew reminded Ibrahim that even the Sarawak state government had, during the tenure of former chief minister Adenan Satem in 2015, officially recognised the UEC as the entry requirement for its public universities and allowed its holders to secure jobs in the public sector.
“Adenan was even quoted as saying that the education ministry is stupid not to recognise the UEC taught by 60 Malaysian independent Chinese secondary schools, a certificate that has been recognised by the top universities in the world, since it has led to a brain drain of our talented human resources.
“Just in case Ibrahim was completely ignorant about the UEC, please take note that UEC is accepted by such prestigious universities like Harvard, Yale, MIT, Oxford and Cambridge.”
Liew found Ibrahim’s disclaimer that his statement against the Chinese community should not be taken as being racist as being laughable, especially when he was speaking in his capacity as the president of Perkasa and everyone knows what Perkasa stands for.
She also said the former Pasir Mas MP should first defend the Orang Asli of his home state Kelantan, whose villages in forest reserves were being encroached by loggers, if he was serious and committed to defending the rights of indigenous people.
“The Sarawak state government was right in banning such a radical and unsavoury person like Ibrahim from entering Sarawak last year.
“We sincerely hope that our Sabah government will also do the same soon,” hoped Liew.
“There’s no place in Sabah for a radical person who preaches racism and political fanaticism in the name of fighting and defending the rights of the Malays.
“To allow Ibrahim and Perkasa to come into Sabah to conduct their activities may also send the wrong message that the state government is incapable of defending the rights of the indigenous people of Sabah,” she concluded.
Speaking at a Perkasa special annual conference in Tuaran over the weekend, Ibrahim said those who refute Perkasa’s role in defending the rights of the indigenous people are the real racists instead.
“All Perkasa wants is for indigenous Sabahans to unite and set aside their religious sentiments and demand their own rights.”
According to him, the indigenous people in Sabah must demand their rights in many fields, such as business and education.
“They should be getting more than the minority races. They must have control in all commercial areas, including the economy and land,” he said.