Media statement by Dr. Hiew King Cheu in Kota Kinabalu on Friday, 15^th June 2012:

RCI should investigate JKM, JPN and KDN

It is obvious that the RCI main target and focus on the investigation in Sabah should be pointing at the Chief Minister Department (JKM), the National Registration Department (JPN) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN). These are the departments and ministry who verified, screened and approved the citizens (MYkad), permanent residencies (MYPR) and even on the Green card (MyKAS) for the temporary residencies for those whose identity were not ascertained.

In Sabah, through the many terms of government under different political parties in the past, we see hectic increase in the population jump, and this caused much concern among the Sabahan who afraid being overtaken by this alarming rate of increase. The RCI is now reluctantly set up by the BN government after heavy pressure for it to become operational to investigate into the pressing issues of illegal immigrants who have created top implication and impact on the livelihood of the Sabahan. Not withstanding that, there is also too many of these people who became Malaysian and can vote in our general elections. Many cases were exposed and brought to court before.

I want the RCI to get their finger down on the three major bodies who are the authorities to approve the many hundred thousands of MYcard, MYPR, and the MyKAS in Sabah. The JPN was in many cases found to have faultily issuing cards to dubious persons, and sometimes even fraud cards (IC Pulsu). This department should be probe into thoroughly and without miss. The recent case in Tawau involving 18 people is a typical case, which also involving JPN staffs.

The Chief Minister Department (JKM) is also one department who has the role and power to approval and recommends for a person to be granted citizenship. The Chief Minister is also the Chair for the Sabah Security Council, who has the role to ensure that the safety and security of the state is intact, and especially in granting outsider/foreigners whether legal or illegal with citizenships. There are many people who had obtained their citizenships by-passing the JKM, and surely these will not have a record in the JKM files. This is the job of the RCI to explore and check.

The Kementrian Dalam Negeri (KDN) will be equally liable for any abused issuance of identity cards in the country and this involved many of the departments under its control. The country is flooded with illegal immigrants and many had become Malaysian, what has the KDN done so far to put this under control? In Sabah the free flow of these people until today is still put under control and the common excuse they gave was the coast-line is too long and can not watch over. In fact the Sarawak coast-line is much longer, why they don¡¯t have the serious problem like Sabah? This is causing the Sabahan a great deal and we have still to lose more if the situation is not put under control. Now the question id when will the RCI come into force and becoming full operation, may be after the general election?

* Dr Hiew King Cheu, MP for Kota Kinabalu