Tiong said he was only in Tawau to carry out his duties as tourism, arts and culture minister, having been invited by NGOs to attend tourism events there.

He claimed that his critics had spun his presence there to portray him as going against GPS’s stand on the Sabah state election.

“As a minister, when I’m invited (to an event), it’s my responsibility to carry out my duty (and attend the event).

“(My critics) are spinning what I’m doing, saying I’m going against GPS’s decision. I want to explain that I am just carrying out my duty as tourism minister. Enough is enough, don’t twist the facts,” he said in a Facebook video posted early this morning.

This contradicts a Facebook post Tiong put up three days ago, where he shared about his visit to a village in Tawau to campaign for Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Merotai candidate, Ruji Ibu.

“I had the honour of visiting Kg Merotai Iban to show support for Ruji Ubi, our candidate from PH… With the right support, the village can grow into a compelling tourism destination that allows visitors to truly experience Iban identity, stories, and resilience. Ruji is well-positioned to help realise this vision,” he said in the post.

The GPS vice-chairman had also posted pictures of himself on the campaign trail and giving a speech, with a PH flag adorning the rostrum.

This came days after Tiong’s PDP deputy, Henry Harry Jinep, said GPS was not involved in the Sabah polls and that any member found campaigning would face disciplinary action.

This followed a video of a PDP member in Marudi, apparently helping with the campaign in Sabah.