Round 1 victory to Sabahans: Roketkini.com takes down false article
and Roketkini.com.
KOTA KINABALU (July 16): Less than 24 hours after legal action was taken, Roketkini.com, the
propaganda mouthpiece of DAP, quietly took down an article containing a false image that had remained online since 2013.
No apology. No correction. No explanation. Only 404 (means 'content not found').
The lawsuit, filed on 10 July 2025 by former Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee, historian Stephan Gaimin and activist Asraf Amir, targets DAP and Roketkini.com for publishing and circulating false content that distorted public understanding of the 2013 Lahad Datu incursion.
The article, dated 24 February 2013, featured a photo falsely linked to the incursion in Tanduo, Lahad Datu.
In reality, the image was taken from a separate conflict in the southern Philippines but was presented as if it depicted the Sabah incursion. The image showed what appeared to be a full-fledged, well-trained military force. This misrepresentation caused unnecessary fear among the public and added to the confusion during a time of real national crisis.
A check on the DAP propaganda outlet on 11 July 2025, showed that Roketkini.com had taken down the offending page that concerned the 2013 Sulu incursion.
Now the original link (URL:
https://www.roketkini.com/2013/02/24/serah-kementerian-pertahanan-selesai-isu-pencerobohan-di-lahad-datu-bukannya-wisma-putra-kit-siang/) returns a standard HTTP Error 404, the usual result when a page is removed without redirection or explanation.
Whether the offending image was taken down on MCMC's instruction or voluntarily by DAP will be known as the litigation proceeds.
Recalling the International Arbitration Colloquium on the Sulu claim of about RM70 billion (USD15 billion) against Sabah, held at the Sabah International Convention Centre on 4 July 2023, Yong said he was shocked to see photos of the same incident in Sulu was portrayed as if it were from the Sabah incursion, projected on screen during a presentation by a senior lawyer from Kuala Lumpur.
Later, when reading a book published by Penerbit Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), titled 'Kedaulatan Negara Harga Mati: Pencerobohan Sulu dan Dampaknya Kepada Keselamatan Pantai Timur Sabah', Yong saw that the same photo had been reprinted in an academic context.
The Roketkini.com article eventually made its way into formal narratives. That confirmed how far the falsehood had spread and led to the decision to initiate legal proceedings.
'I decided on legal action because probably more people and organisations out there are mistaken in relying on the DAP propaganda mouthpiece, since DAP is a government party and the biggest party in Parliament,' said Yong.
'While we acknowledge the removal of the false content, this partial, Round 1 victory to Sabahans does not absolve DAP of the full extent of the damage caused.
'We demand a public apology from DAP for spreading fake news that not only misrepresented historical events but also led to widespread concern and fear within the community.
'Moreover, we insist on a formal undertaking from DAP to never again publish or allow such false or misleading content,' said Yong in a joint media statement by Stephan and Asraf on Wednesday.
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