Respect Malaysia's Laws, Shafie Tells Foreign Communities

KOTA KINABALU, Feb 15 (Bernama) -- Foreign communities should respect Malaysia's laws as the country had always propagated respect for the judicial systems of other countries.

Commonwealth Parliamentarians Association chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, said other countries, especially Commonwealth members, should think thoroughly before making statements on how a particular country dealt with an act considered against the country's laws.

"Maybe, in some countries, a certain act by a person is legal. But in Malaysia, it is against the law and that person must be brought to justice," he told reporters when met at the Sabah MCA Chinese New Year Open House here Monday.

Shafie, who is also rural and regional development minister, was asked to comment on the formal protest by Australian members of parliament, urging Malaysia to drop the sodomy case against Parti Keadilan Rakyat's de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said, as association chairman and member of parliament, he was "very disappointed" that Australia could interfere in Malaysia's constitution, adding that it should not politicise the law that should be respected in this country.

"What will happen if, say, somebody broke the law in Australia, and we demand for that particular person to be released? Of course, the MPs (members of parliament) in Australia would be annoyed," said the Semporna MP.

On the abduction of two seaweed farm workers in the vicinity of Pulau Sebangkat, near Semporna on Feb 8, Shafie said there was no report from the police that the incident was linked to terrorist activities in southern Philippines.

He said: "As far as we know, the people there feel safe. There are no indicators that people were going away due to the incident and it did not deter tourists from coming.

"Having said that, I must stress that the calm situation now should not be taken for granted, and security and surveillance must be enhanced at all levels," he said.