Chief Minister Shafie Apdal issued this denial in his winding-up speech, delivered by Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Arifin Asgali.
Acting opposition leader Jeffrey Kitingan had brought up the issue earlier.
“No action was taken against boat operators in the Esszone (Eastern Sabah Security Zone) because this issue of misusing of the Warisan logo is only an allegation made and spread on social media recently.
“The Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) conducts inspections from time to time on vessels suspected of flouting the law.
“Appropriate action should be taken against any operator who does not abide by the law.”
Shafie hoped all boat operators would cooperate with the security forces.
Esscom had warned that it would not hesitate to take action against any boat or vessel operator unwilling to cooperate with them.
Esscom commander DCP Hazani Ghazali had said there had been claims, which had gone viral on social media, that fishing vessels within Esszone had refused to allow inspections on their boats.
There were claims that these boat operators considered themselves to be above the law just because they flew the flag of a certain political party.
The photos, which made their rounds on WhatsApp, were purportedly taken by border security officers in Lahad Datu.
The WhatsApp messages alleged that ever since Warisan became the ruling party, boats flying the Warisan flag had rejected inspections and refused to stop their boats when ordered to do so by the authorities.