Sabahans burned State Flags

What are the real issues?

The government would like it to appear as though it is just the
behaviour of a bunch of trouble makers. The Malaysian government would
like it to appear as though Malaysians are all a bunch of mad men who
want to cause trouble.

1) These are all mad men without any reason whatsoever, as alleged by
the government

2) They demand that Sabah be returned to the Philippine government,
via Sulu Sultanate. Illogical because one of them claim to be an heir
to the Sultan of Sulu in Sabah.

3) The heir wants his share of the lease money sent to the heirs of
the Sultan of Sulu which is more logical. I met a friend who make
arrangements for this sort of think but he is based in Sandakan but I
don't know who he is representing but in his case, he wanted to
surrender the rights of the Sultan of Sulu to Malaysia in return for
RM20 billion.

Published: Saturday April 4, 2009 MYT 7:04:00 PM
12 held for burning Sabah flags
By RUBEN SARIO

KOTA KINABALU: Police in Lahad Datu have arrested 12 men for burning
state flags in the east coast town Saturday.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim said they had
received a tip-off at 8.40am that a group of men had burned six flags
in front of the town's market.

"Some of the men were also seen carrying yellow flags bearing the
insignia of a red lion, believed to be the pre-independence flag of
the Governor of Sabah", he said.

He added that the flag has long fallen into disuse.

Noor Rashid said by the time police reached the scene, the men had
already fled.

They left behind burnt remains of the flags.

Some of the men were then seen running towards the district police
headquarters, where they were promptly arrested and investigated for
illegal assembly, he said.

Noor Rashid added that those detained were aged between 14 and 41
years.

"We are still investigating the motive of the incident. "The alleged
group leader has claimed to be a descendant of the Sulu Sultan," Noor
Rashid said.

Lahad Datu police immediately deployed more than 80 personnel around
the town area following the incident.

Meanwhile, Lahad Datu state assemblyman Datuk Nasrun Datu Mansor said
the flag burning was an isolated incident caused by individuals trying
to create a disturbance in the town.

"This was nothing more than actions of some irresponsible people," he
said, adding that Lahad Datu residents need not worry as police had
the situation under control.