KOTA KINABALU, June 4 ― A Sabah politician accused of molesting a beauty pageant contestant has been remanded for four days for the police investigation into the matter.

Lawyer Marcel Jude Joseph confirmed that Magistrate Lovely Natasha Charles issued the order to remand the suspended Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku division parliamentary coordinator.

"Police obtained a remand order till Monday,” he said when contacted.

The 52-year-old politician was arrested by police yesterday at about 12.40pm shortly after giving a press conference to deny the allegations of sexual harassment and abuse of power in his office above a bridal shop and studio.

Marcel said that police sought the remand order to avoid any tampering with witnesses who were still providing their statements.

The politician, a technical director for this year’s Harvest Queen or Unduk Ngadau beauty pageant, was named in a police report by a contestant for allegedly groping her in his car and office while the pageant was ongoing on May 19.

Investigations are being carried out under Section 354 of the Penal Code for using criminal force to outrage modesty that carries a maximum jail term of 10 year or fine or whipping upon conviction.

The politician, who denied any wrongdoing, told a press conference yesterday that he was suing the contestant who had made the sexual harassment allegations, as well as the a Rela guard on duty who made a police report saying he had been abused by the politician.

He said he was also suing two online portals for spreading lies about him, and said there was a political conspiracy to bring him down.