Debate won’t solve problem of illegals having ICs: Upko

Best solution is have RCI to settle matter

KOTA KINABALU: Upko said Monday it is premature for Tan Sri Harris Salleh to pre-empt whether the Federal Cabinet will or will not decide to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate the existence of illegal immigrants holding dubious identity cards (IC) obtained via the so-called " Project IC'.

United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun and Murut Organisation Sec-Gen, Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau said the Federal Cabinet has not deliberated on the requests by various parties for setting up the RCI.

"The Minister of Home Affairs has made his opinion known but the fact remained that the Federal Cabinet has not deliberated on it," he said in a statement.

"Given a proper perspective to this particular 'national problem', we are confident many fellow Barisan Nasional component party leaders will seriously consfuier giving support to-this proposal," he said.

He said the matter is no longer fit for merely a public debate, but one of public interest affecting the nations sovereignty which merits resolutions at the highest level.

Madius said Upko also wished to differ on the claim by Harris when the latter said that what was written by Paul Raffaele in the book "Harris Salleh of Sabah"  is the opinion and version of the writer. "The views belong to Harris and Paul was simply writing what he recorded from statements made by Harris himself," he said.

He doubted that paul would have written the following without being told by Harris, which he was contained on page 426 of the book: "Already in Kudat, a PBS area now, over 3,000 Filipinos have their IC cards, and, when they are registered to vote, the assembly seat there will be Usno's for the rest of this century at least. The same pattern could be repeated all over Sabah so that the Kadazans become a small minority ..."

"Besides, this statement had never been refuted by Harris and now, 26 years later, Harris estimates that 90 per cent of the people of Sabah are migrants.

"Is he saying that whatever he has said pertaining to the making of illegal migrants into a citizen in the book was carried out? Is that why the population rate of growth of Sabah is more than 500 per cent?" Madius said.

In this context, Madius said he could not agree more with Dr Chong Eng Leong in that he (Harris) must clear his name for being implicated in the book by MD Mutalib "IC Projek – Agenda Tersembunyi Mahathir"

Haris had said on Sunday that statements attributed to him in the biography by Raffalae and in others were those of the writers concerned.

Meanwhile , Upko also said it welcomed Harris' readiness to testify in the RCI if it is finally set up. "only a RCI can provide a lasting solution to the 'Mother of all Problems' in Sabah ... the existence of thousands and thousands of illegal migrants with dubious I/C," said Madius.

Upko also supports common views on pertinent issues among component parties of the BN, he said, adding there are ways and means to achieve this including having a loose confederation as suggested by PBS Secretary General Datuk Henrynus Amin.

"Upko is all for it (loose confederation). We should immediately work on the mechanism. As for Harris, we have to politely decline his suggestion for Upko to conduct our own inquiry concerning ICs...RCI remains the most effective way of resolving this matter once and for all," he said.

From Daily Express