The modus operandi to ensure Sabah remained Umno's "fixed deposit" bordered on "treason" at the highest level and was a state-sponsored organised crime.
KOTA KINABALU: It used to be Umno’s and the Barisan Nasional’s claim, made with some swagger, that Sabah is their “fixed deposit” state. The boast was meant to convey the message to the opposition that they were untouchable. As it turned out, it was true.
The ruling coalition had indeed stuffed the ballot boxes in the state sufficiently, but not in the usual way, to ensure Sabah would always be in their corner in their bid to hang on to reins of power. But that boastful expression is coming back to haunt them.
The first week of evidence gathering by the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the massive presence of illegal immigrants in the state emphasised this.
The narrative so far is that what started as a refugee problem morphed into an illegal immigrant problem and then became a policy to re-engineer the population of the state to reflect Muslim dominance from its native Christian majority origins at the founding of Malaysia in 1963.
From there it again changed shape and became an alleged illegal citizenship-for-votes project to prop up a shaky coalition government that has ruled Malaysia for more than 50 years and Sabah for almost two decades.
The modus operandi that was used to ensure Sabah became Umno’s “fixed deposit” state, bordered on state-sponsored organised crime while some would put it as “treasonous” activity at the highest government levels.
Witness after witness stated as much over the last week.
Dr M: Project IC legal
Former prime minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, under whose watch the hitherto Christian state became populated by a Muslim majority, had finally come out to admit that Project IC was true but that everything was done legally.
However, former civil servants who served during his time in power, illegal immigrants and refugees seem to contradict his statement by telling the commission of the clandestine nature of the issuance of Malaysian identification papers that led to them gaining citizenship and right to vote.
Top Sabah National Registration Department (NRD) officers spoke of an operation codenamed ‘Operation Rotten Durian’ and by all accounts this operation reached into the highest offices including those of Mahathir’s trusted aides and indeed Mahathir himself.
He seems to confirm this when he said last week: “When I was prime minister, I was in power to determine the implementation of government policies.
“The government received foreigners to be citizens if (they) fulfilled certain conditions, furthermore those who are there are not one, two days but already 20 to 30 years and they speak in Bahasa Melayu, have the right to be Malaysians.
“So the problem is when there are people who are unhappy when there are some who become Malaysians although those individuals have already long resided in Malaysia, that is what causes problems.”
Speaking at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, as the stunning nature of the RCI witness statements sank in, he repeatedly stressed that this giving of citizenships to foreigners was “within the law”.
“I never deny it (citizenships) were given. What I deny is that I did something against the law, that I will deny,” he was reported as saying.
The evidence gathered so far speaks for itself and doesn’t leave the former prime minister much room to manoeuvre in the minds of Sabahans with an eye on the elections at least but these are still early days for the RCI.
Nevertheless, much of what has been revealed at the on-going RCI is not new.
Damning confirmations
Books on the subject by well-known blogger Mutalib MD and Dr Chong Eng Leong’s ‘Lest we Forget’ with painstakingly compiled evidence stated as much.
Up to now what they said remained insinuations and allegations. The first week on the RCI public hearing must have been music to their ears.
Witnesses corroborated and added legitimacy to their claims of something rotten having taken place in the state and they are vindicated.
It is left to be seen if Umno and its leaders will still dare to boast of Sabah as their “fixed deposit” state in the coming general elections. If anything, that brag has become a slap in the face for Sabahans.
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ReplyDeleteAct Of Treason Against Sabahans, Where Was Anwar Ibrahim In 1994?
ReplyDeleteACT OF TREASON AGAINST SABAHAN, WHERE WAS ANWAR IBRAHIM IN 1994?
IT'S NOW becoming a fashion of sort to blame the dead. As we all know "dead men tell no tales." A dead man also cannot wake up from his grave, kick you in the ass and defend himself. So it's a win-win situation.
The unfortunate thing is Malaysians still think this man is worthy of trust
Act Of Treason Against Sabahans, Where Was Anwar Ibrahim In 1994?
ReplyDeleteACT OF TREASON AGAINST SABAHAN, WHERE WAS ANWAR IBRAHIM IN 1994?
Former Sabah NRD director Ramli Kamaruddin said former Deputy Home Minister Megat Junid told him, here, to issue receipt to allow illegal immigrants to vote in the 1994 state elections. Megat Junid died on 24 January 2008.
The unfortunate thing is Malaysians still think this man is worthy of trust
Act Of Treason Against Sabahans, Where Was Anwar Ibrahim In 1994?
ReplyDeleteACT OF TREASON AGAINST SABAHAN, WHERE WAS ANWAR IBRAHIM IN 1994?
Former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohammad had been implicated with the issuance of Malaysian I/C to illegal immigrants dubbed "Project M". Mahathir must be really stupid to allow his name to be used for illegal activity.
The unfortunate thing is Malaysians still think this man is worthy of trust
Act Of Treason Against Sabahans, Where Was Anwar Ibrahim In 1994?
ReplyDeleteACT OF TREASON AGAINST SABAHAN, WHERE WAS ANWAR IBRAHIM IN 1994?
The question is was Mahathir complicit in this illegal activity or was it people below him who took upon themselves to do the malfeasance?
The unfortunate thing is Malaysians still think this man is worthy of trust
Act Of Treason Against Sabahans, Where Was Anwar Ibrahim In 1994?
ReplyDeleteACT OF TREASON AGAINST SABAHAN, WHERE WAS ANWAR IBRAHIM IN 1994?
Anwar Ibrahim, the great pretender and man of conscience was then the deputy prime minister and minister of finance, why did he not stop this act of treason against Sabahans? Was he also complicit to the illegal activity in the 1994 Sabah state elections? We know what he did in 1994!
The unfortunate thing is Malaysians still think this man is worthy of trust
Act Of Treason Against Sabahans, Where Was Anwar Ibrahim In 1994?
ReplyDeleteACT OF TREASON AGAINST SABAHAN, WHERE WAS ANWAR IBRAHIM IN 1994?
e was the man on the ground not Mahathir. He was very much involved in the programme to destabilise the then PBS government and was the mastermind of the crossing over of PBS assemblymen to BN at that time.
The unfortunate thing is Malaysians still think this man is worthy of trust
Act Of Treason Against Sabahans, Where Was Anwar Ibrahim In 1994?
ReplyDeleteACT OF TREASON AGAINST SABAHAN, WHERE WAS ANWAR IBRAHIM IN 1994?
As they say "what goes around come around", the same frogs have now joined him to do exactly the same exercise and this time to destabilise the BN government.
The unfortunate thing is Malaysians still think this man is worthy of trust
ACT OF TREASON AGAINST SABAHAN, WHERE WAS ANWAR IBRAHIM IN 1994?
ReplyDeleteWhile all eyes are set on former premier Mahathir Mohamad for his role in the alleged illegal granting of citizenship to immigrants in Sabah for votes - dubbed ‘Project IC' -opposition Anwar Ibrahim may find himself in the same firing line.
ACT OF TREASON AGAINST SABAHAN, WHERE WAS ANWAR IBRAHIM IN 1994?
ReplyDeleteInstitute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) chief executive officer Wan Saiful Wan Jan said while the recently announced Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate the matter could prove damaging to Mahathir's legacy, Anwar was similarly part of that legacy when he served as deputy prime minister.
ACT OF TREASON AGAINST SABAHAN, WHERE WAS ANWAR IBRAHIM IN 1994?
ReplyDelete"Some people still blame Anwar for bringing Umno into Sabah before this. The damage will be to the legacy of Mahathir's administration that influenced all senior ministers at that time and if Anwar is involved then he will be tarnished," he said
ACT OF TREASON AGAINST SABAHAN, WHERE WAS ANWAR IBRAHIM IN 1994?
ReplyDeleteIf any evidence emerges from the RCI implicating Anwar, he added, the damage would be serious for the opposition coalition's chief.
ACT OF TREASON AGAINST SABAHAN, WHERE WAS ANWAR IBRAHIM IN 1994?
ReplyDelete"Anwar is still an active political player but Mahathir has retired... So while it may be damaging to Umno under Mahathir which is the older generation, it will be the current generation (of opposition) who suffers if Anwar is implicated," he said.
RCI Pati Sabah yang sedang berjalan banyak membicarakan "mempertahankan" kuasa BN pada tahun 1994? Keterangan itu sungguh bercanggah dengan fakta.
ReplyDeleteBn Sabah tidak berkuasa di Sabah sejak tahun 1990, kerana PBS yang merupakan komponen Bn sejak tahun 1985 keluar daripada komponen itu pada tahun 1990.
ReplyDeleteDakwaan dan pendedahan kononnya berlaku pertambahan pengundi islam antara 1990-1994 untuk mempertahankan kerajaan Bn adalah silap, kerana Bn Sabah tidak pernah menang pilihanraya baik pada PRU-1990 mahupun 1994.
ReplyDeleteJika juga benar bahawa kerajaan Bn semasa Berjaya 1976-1985 berlaku pertambahan undi untuk menyokong Berjaya, ternyata silap juga, kerana pada PRN Sabah 1985, Parti Berjaya hanya mendapat 6 Kerusi, berbanding PBS 25.
ReplyDeleteBn Sabah hanya menang pilihanraya tahun 1999 apabila berlaku pertambahan jumlah kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri, daripada 48 kepada 60.
ReplyDeleteIngat operasi menahan mereka yang terlibat dengan SKIM CEPAT KAYA mengeluarkan IC Biru Sabah berlaku pada tahun 1995. Pada masa itu ramai individu ditahan melalui ISA termasuk para pegawai JPN dan individu tertentu.
ReplyDeleteKini, apabila mengikuti pendengaran RCI Pati Sabah di Mahkamah Kota Kinabalu, kebanyakan saksi hanya bercakap menggunakan kata-kata, tanpa disertai fakta. Mereka dengan bebas mengaitkan sesiapa termasuk yang telah mati, kerana mereka tahu individu itu tidak mampu mempertahankan diri.
ReplyDeleteSebagai orang biasa, pendengaran RCI yang sedang berlangsung hanya sebagai medan balas dendam bagi individu yang terlibat, kerana kebanyakan mereka yang memberi keterangan adalah mereka yang pernah ditahan melalui ISA.
ReplyDeletePihak Pembangkang terutama Timbalan Presiden PKR Azmin Ali dengan cepat menuding jari kepada Mantan Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir sebagai pengkhianat.
ReplyDeletesedangkan RCI itu belumpun memutuskan apa-apa, apakah mengguna pakai kesaksian yang diberikan kerana saksi-saksi tidak mengunakan hujah yang disokong oleh fakta.
DeleteKebanyakan keterangan para saksi adalah "hearsay" dan mereka tidak menunjukkan "bukti" yang menyokong keterangan mereka.
DeleteBajet Negeri Sabah 2013 disifatkan realistik , seimbang dan memampu mengubah landskap pembangunan khususnya di luar bandar selaras dengan usaha kerajaan untuk menuju ke arah sebuah negara maju dan berpendapatan tinggi.
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DeleteKetua Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO bahagian Tenom, Jamawi Jaafar menyifatkan kerajaan negeri dibawah pimpinan Ketua Menteri Datuk Musa Haji Aman menitik berat setiap aspek untuk meningkatkan hidup rakyat di negeri ini.
“Setiap kumpulan yang memerlukan mendapat perhatian sewajarnya untuk sama-sama membangun. Belanjawan negeri 2013 menarik dan melambangkan kerajaan menitik berat terutamanya dalam usaha melengkapkan program pembangunan demi kepentingan rakyat” ujarnya mengulas mengenai Bajet Negeri 2013 yang dibentangkan oleh Musa Aman yang juga Menteri Kewangan Sabah di Dewan Undangan Negeri Sebah, Jumaat lepas .
DeleteJelas Jamawi yang juga Exco Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO Malaysia, Bajet negeri kali ini jelas memberikan fokus kepada sasaran yang memerlukan di mana ianya mendapat perhatian sewajarnya daripada kerajaan dengan tujuh teras utama iaitu mengukuhkan kedudukan kewangan negeri, menambahbaik infrastruktur asas dan prasarana awam, mempercepatkan hala tuju membangun belia dan modal insan yang bernilai dan berkualiti tiggi, membasmi kemiskinan dan meningkatkan taraf kualti hidup rakyat dan mencampai pembangunan wilayah yang seimbang
DeleteSelain itu, Jamawi memberitahu golongan muda yang menjadi harapan bangsa turut mendapat faedah melalui bajet kali dalam usaha melahirkan modal insan yang bermutu demi menuju ke arah sebuah negara maju.
DeleteDalam pada itu Jamawi berharap agar peruntukan berjumlah RM29.60 untuk Belia dan Sukan dalam bajet kali ini, kerajaan khususnya kementerian Belia dan Sukan turut memberikan perhatian terhadap pembangunan modal insan dalam bidang kemahiran dengan memberikan tumpuan terhadap perlaksanaan pusat dan latihan kemahiran belia setempat .
Delete“Usaha tersebut akan dapat membantu golongan itu untuk terus memajukan diri, sekali gus menyumbang terhadap aspek pembangunan negara.
Delete“Kita berharap kali ini peruntukan yang lebih besar akan dapat diberikan untuk membangunkan ekonomi belia dan menyediakan lebih banyak program berbentuk kemahiran kepada golongan tersebut,” ujarnya.
Delete
DeleteTambahnya, Bajet negeri 2013 kali ini akan meningkatkan sokongan rakyat terhadap kepimpinan kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) untuk terus memerintah negara ini khususnya pada pilihan raya umum kelak. Ianya berbeza dengan bajet pembangkang hanya gemar berjanji tetapi tidak mampu untuk dikotakan berbanding BN.