KOTA KINABALU, Sept 4 — Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) information chief Datuk Haji Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan has strongly denied a viral WhatsApp screenshot allegedly involving him and several individuals, describing it as a malicious fabrication aimed at tarnishing his reputation and the party’s image.
“I categorically deny the circulation of the WhatsApp screenshot that supposedly involved me with several other individuals. This vile slander was deliberately created to damage my name and smear the image of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat),” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
Nizam, who is also Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister and Apas assemblyman, said he lodged a police report on the matter at the Kota Kinabalu District Police Headquarters (IPD) on Wednesday afternoon.
He described the allegation as “dirty politics,” noting that the same individual had previously spread a similar claim against Kunak assemblywoman Datuk Norazlinah Arif.
In addition, Nizam has instructed his lawyer to issue a letter of demand against an individual identified as Atan (Tandiko Bin Dalusin, with the Facebook account name “Huzaifah Al-Likasi”), whom he named as the main perpetrator behind the defamatory post.
“I want to emphasise that politics must be based on arguments, facts and ideas, not lies and manipulation.
The spread of such slander not only damages my reputation and that of the party, but also risks causing public unrest, especially when it touches on sensitive issues such as Justice for Zara,” he stressed.
He urged the authorities, including the police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, to take immediate action against those involved.
“I reiterate that I have never sent the messages that have been circulated. It is pure fabrication, created with malicious intent to bring me down and disrupt public order. The truth will always prevail over falsehood,” he said.
On the recent Justice for Zara Qairina gathering in Tawau on August 31, Nizam said he respected the community’s right to express concern and demand justice over the tragic death of the young girl.
“I acknowledge the gathering as a sign of solidarity with Zara’s passing. I respect the community’s right to voice concerns and seek justice. However, I also urge that such well-intentioned gatherings should not be tainted by remarks or actions that cross the line of the law,” he said.
He noted that the police had already acted over allegedly seditious remarks made during the rally, and the legal process should be respected.
“What is most important now is ensuring that public focus is not diverted from the real objective, seeking truth, justice, and long-term solutions for the safety of our students,” he added. — The Borneo Post
