Parti Warisan Sabah president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, who turned 60 yesterday, was remanded for four days to assist in investigations into alleged power abuse and misappropriation of federal funds meant for rural projects in Sabah.
Shafie had arrived from Kuala Lumpur at 3.45pm on Oct 19 and after a brief stopover at his house, he had proceeded to the MACC office at 5.20pm.
He was arrested at 9pm and was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital II at about 10pm.
“He was interviewed for more than three hours before MACC told him he would be remanded.
“As part of the MACC procedure, he was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital II for a medical check-up and his blood pressure was found to be a bit high.
“Doctors advised that he should be warded for health reason instead of being kept in the lockup,” Shafie’s lawyer Darell Leiking said.
According to Leiking, who is also Warisan deputy president, Shafie is suffering from exhaustion after spending the last few days working and campaigning for the party and was deeply affected by the weather.
He confirmed that MACC officers attempted to detain the Semporna MP at the Kepayan police lock-up instead of the MACC lock-up, which led supporters to brand the graft-busters as inhumane and unprofessional for treating Shafie as a convict.
Leiking said that the police lock-up is for common criminals and to detain a distinguished MP who has not committed a crime there is simply absurd.
Yesterday, Shafie arrived at the courthouse in an ambulance from the hospital at about 2.15pm and was enthusiastically greeted by more than 500 supporters led by vice presidents Junz Wong and Peter Anthony and youth chief Mohd Azis Jamman.
Sabah Pakatan Harapan chairperson Christina Liew was also there to give her support.
With many of them dressed in orange T-shirts, the supporters stood outside the gates and chanted phrases like “Sabah Ubah”, “Tangkap Musa”, “Tangkap MO1” and “democracy” while Shafie waited in the ambulance parked nearby.
They sang Malaysian songs like ‘Sabah Tanahairku’, in addition to ‘Happy Birthday’.
Shafie’s wife, Datin Seri Shuryani Shuaib, and their son, Mohd Shezwi Shafie, were also present to wish Shafie a happy birthday. They came armed with three birthday cakes.
They then blew out the candles and shared the cake with Warisan’s supporters.
Shuryani tried to meet Shafie, who was still waiting in the ambulance but was prevented from doing so.
Shafie waited in the ambulance for more than 30 minutes before he was taken to the chambers of Magistrate Cindy Mc Juce Balitus by MACC officers.
Shafie was the most high-profile arrest made since the MACC investigation into the alleged embezzlement of RM1.5 billion federal funds began earlier this month.
Earlier reports:
Oct 19, Shafie Apdal Detained as Brother Hamid Is Released
Oct 18, Yusof Apdal Remanded in RM1.5B Probe
Oct 11, Shafie Apdal’s Brother Arrested over Sabah Rural Projects Graft Probe
Oct 11, 1 Warisan, 2 Umno Youth Leaders Remanded in Probe of Rural Project Funds
Oct 11, Remand Extended for Female Suspect in Rural Project Funds Probe
Oct 6, Peter Anthony Remanded for Five Days