SHAH ALAM – The Opposition has reiterated its call for the government to provide an explanation in Parliament over allegations that 5,207 hectares of land were handed over to Indonesia as compensation for three villages in the Nunukan area near the Sabah–Kalimantan border.
Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said clarification was necessary as the matter was reportedly raised by the Secretary of Indonesia’s Border Management Agency during a meeting of Commission II of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) on Jan 21.
“The Opposition has already asked for this to be tabled in Parliament. Just answer and explain it there. What’s so difficult?
“The Prime Minister should not lash out or get stressed. If the stress becomes excessive, other things might happen,” he said in a Facebook post on Monday.
The Larut Member of Parliament made the remarks after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said there was no need to provide any explanation on the matter in Parliament.
Anwar had instead criticised the Opposition, accusing it of being willing to spread slander and abuse freedom of speech for political gain.
Previously, Hamzah had urged the government to debate the allegations in Parliament, saying the issue involved national sovereignty.
Media reports have claimed that three villages in Nunukan Regency, North Kalimantan, are now allegedly within Malaysian territory following a shift in the Malaysia–Indonesia border line.