Pakatan Rakyat Sabah has joined the bandwagon as organisations from both side of the fences lined up to lodge the police report calling for probes into the IC issuance syndicate and Project IC that resulted in illegal immigrants being usurped into the State Electoral Rolls.
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sabah chief, Datuk Lajim Ukin, DAP Sabah chief, Jimmy Wong and Pas Sabah Commissioner, Mohamad Aminuddin Aling together with other Pakatan leaders lodged the report at the Karamunsing police station here Tuesday.
In the police report, Pakatan Sabah called for an investigation to the findings of the Commission of Enquiry that was released on Dec 3 on the existence of syndicates in collaboration with certain individuals to issue ICs to illegal immigrants in Sabah.
They said investigation must be done on the allegation of Project IC that was stated in the Commission’s report as “there is a probability that such a Project did exist at all material times.”
Speaking to reporters earlier, Lajim pointed to the fact that none of the Commissioners had their signature in the Report, as well as no printer’s name and publishers but nonetheless was “presented” to the King.
“Secondly, we would like to point out that 18 of the 211 witnesses do not have summary of their respective evidence, notably that of Tan Sri Simon Sipaun, Datuk Md Idrus bin Ismail, Director of Sabah Election Commission, Melissa Chia Pui Fung, Senior Assistant Registrar of KK High Court, Datuk Muhiddin @ Mohd Anas, ex- Sabah Director of Education and OKK William Majimbon, the KK Native Court Chief,” he said.
In this respect, Lajim who is also Klias Assemblyman said Pakatan has taken the stand not to totally accept all the Report contents “although the Report does give somewhat an insight into what has happened from the late 1970s.”
Pakatan Rakyat was also dissatisfied since they claimed all the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Commission of Inquiry have not been fully answered.
With regards to ToR 3, which was to enquire whether the immigrants in Sabah who hold blue identification cards, temporary identification receipts (blue) or citizenship which is not in accordance with the law have been registered in the electoral rolls, the Commission said: “
There is ample evidence to show that immigrants who were not Malaysian citizens, were issued blue ICs illegally by certain syndicates and/or individuals and who therefore registered themselves as voters in the electoral rolls on the bases of their ICs.” “….. their exact numbers are uncertain”
“Although the TOR 3 does not include recommendation, there is an indirect message to the authorities as stated in the Report on Page 307 (English version) last paragraph that is:
“They have obtained their ICs based on false information. We understand that their names are still in the electoral rolls. If not rectified, this can have serious repercussions.”
Towards this end, Lajim said Pakatan urged the Election Commission to take proactive action to rid the names of these non-citizen names in the rolls.
“You may have the amended Election Act to prevent us from challenging the gazetted electoral rolls, but the Constitution specifies that only citizens are qualified to be registered as voters. Serious repercussion if not rectified,” he said.
On the question of whether the Project IC really exist, Lajim said Pakatan referred to the Commission of Enquiry Report that states “from the evidence, it seems clear that there are two sides to the issue of whether the so-called ‘Project’ IC really existed.”
On one side, he said there was the evidence of Hassnar Ebrahim who testified in the Likas Election petition and whose evidence had been corroborated by five ex-NRD officers who were ex-ISA detainees.
From the evidence of the five ex-NRD officers, it was clear that there was a clandestine exercise involving senior officers in NRD Sabah who apparently acted under orders from their political superiors.
On the other side, there was denial on their involvement in such clandestine exercise and based on their interview with the Special Branch while under ISA detention, their sole motive was for financial gain.
Thus the RCI closing remark on Project IC:
“There is some credibility in the evidence of the five ex-NRD officers. Because they were not cross-examined and given the denials against the allegations, we can only conclude that it was more likely than not, that Project IC did exist. In short there is a probability that such a Project did exist at all material times.”
In relation Pakatan urged the authorities concerned to take heed of this remark and have the courage and decency to take the necessary actions to safeguard Sabah’s sovereignty.
“Sabah took part in the formation of Malaysia primarily because of security and sovereignty within Malaysia,” they said.
Lajim said that all the Pakatan divisions in Sabah would also be lodging a police report on the matter.
He noted that the government had detained without trial the ex-NRD officers under Internal Security Act (ISA) but now those involved should be rearrested before being charged in the court of law.
Only by bringing them to the court can the root of the problems especially the mastermind be traced, he said.