KOTA KINABALU, Jan. 2 -- Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew today hit out at critics for protesting a Christmas carnival held in the east coast town of Tawau on December 30.

Liew dismissed allegations that the event was an effort at proselytising Muslims and added that the event has been held for the last two decades without any issues.

"What are these people protesting? This is an annual event that we have been organising for the past 20 or 30 years without any problem. Suddenly we cannot do this anymore? Why?

"There were leaders from other parties, like Kalabakan MP Ma'mun Sulaiman who was there. There were thousands of people of all races and religions, celebrating happily with us," she said when talking to reporters a...