KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties are generally happy with the Terms of Reference(TOR) and the panel for the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the presence of illegal immigrants and population boom in Sabah.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who chaired a BN meeting here, announced the Commission’s panel and TOR.
Parti Bersatu Sabah president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said the party was very happy with the TOR and appointment of former High Court Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Datuk Amat Steve Shim Lip Liong as the chairman as well as former UMS Vice- Chancellor Datuk Kamaruzaman Ampon, former Sabah State Attorney Tan Sri Herman Luping, Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation deputy chairman and former Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Henry Chin Poy Wu, and former State Secretary Datuk KY Mustafa as commissioners.
“We are very grateful, and now come the second stage which is the implementation. I do believe the government will do its level best to carry out responsibility and the objectives of RCI,” the Deputy Chief Minister said, adding that PBS would support and contribute towards the success of the RCI.
When asked how this would negate the impact of Datuk Seri Wilfred Bumburing and Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin’s leaving the coalition, Pairin said since one of the issues they highlighted was the RCI itself, those supporting them are expected to return and rally behind the government “Now since it is already announced, we believe the people will rally back and support the government. Indeed, this is what we all have been waiting for and we now know it is already been established as well as the people appointed whom we can trust, and we view will do their level best
“So we have high hopes in the RCI, and we believe that this is something all the people must be supportive of because after all, it comes from them; they want it, now they have it,” Pairin stressed.
On the six-month time frame for the Commission to complete their inquiry, Pairin said since the deadline has been set, it will be up to the panel to do their best.
“We hope and pray (for) whatever can be done in six months, that it will result in the best form that we all wish for. Of course, it does not mean that it (time frame) cannot be extended,” he said.
He also said BN component parties were all equals within the Coalition and they had their respective voices on issues affecting the rakyat. United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok praised Najib for being the first Prime Minister to rise to the challenge of finding a solution to this issue.
“It’s better late than never. We’ve been going on this for decades now and I’ve worked for three prime ministers and this Prime Minister is the only one who has the guts to tackle this issue,” he added.
On former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s recent statement about the entitlement of long-staying illegal immigrants to citizenship, Dompok said the past premier was taking a jibe at the government of the time and nobody in Sabah would agree with him.
“We are talking about the value of citizenship and he’s talking about giving it to illegal immigrants. Never in any country do you give citizenship to illegal immigrants and he (Mahathir) is the only one talking about it, so I understand when people feel very hurt about what he said.
“It is time now for the people of Sabah to support the Prime Minister because he is the guy who wants this settled once and for all,” said Dompok.
Dompok, who was asked on how damaging was Mahathir’s statement to the support for BN in Sabah, said the people had a reason to be unhappy about his statement.
“Mahathir has a world view of Malaysia that is 1957 or something. But we are talking about 1963, it is the Malaysia that we have here and I think certainly what he has been saying is something that is very insensible in as far as Sabah is concerned and I feel sure that nobody in Sabah will agree with him,” the Penampang member of parliament said.
When asked if he expects the Commission to complete its inquiry before the 13th general election, the Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister replied that since he did not know when election would be held it would be difficult for him to say so.
“What I think will happen is that it will run through the election. It starts now, then the election is held… probably the Commission will still be doing its work during the election period itself. I do not see that it can be completed before the election. Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup said it was Mahathir’s personal opinion and not strong enough to determine whether or not a person is indeed a citizen or ‘someone who is in possession of illegal documents’.
“We now have RCI which will generate the report and I believe the chosen authorities are capable of determining a person’s citizenship (whether they are illegal immigrants or in possession of fake identification document or otherwise),” said Kurup.
Liberal Democratic Party president (LDP) Datuk Liew Vui Keong said what was needed now was the cooperation of every party and quarter if they were called forward by the RCI to assist in investigations or getting evidence.
“As I said before, this is not a political decision to try to win votes from the people and by hoping that the RCI is completed before elections. It shows the government’s sincerity to make sure if the report is completed even after the elections, so be it but the most important thing is that it has been announced by the Prime Minister and works have to be carried out … there should be no hurrying,” stressed Liew.
On the six-month time frame which some leaders felt was not sufficient, Liew pointed out that it was the time frame given by the government and that the RCI could always apply for an extension of time.
“The problem has gone far too long, almost 40 years; I think they should be given ample time,” Liew stressed.