"There are still some evidence to go through. We will have to look at those evidence and, of course, we will have to examine evidence which have already been given.
"And then we will decide whether to call Dr Mahathir or not," RCI Chairman Tan Sri Steve Shim Lip Kiong told Daily Express.
Shim, who is a former Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, was responding to a question on whether the two leaders' evidence would be necessary following concern that the findings would have a gap if both were not accorded the opportunity to tell the panel what they know.
In fact, both Dr Mahathir and Anwar have accused each other of having had a hand in the phenomenal increase in foreigners acquiring Malaysian citizenship in Sabah without going through the due process.
Both have also said that they look forward to give their testimony if called.
"I know the general perception. We are seriously considering this (calling them to testify)," he said.
As to when he expected the whole exercise to be over, the RCI Chairman said: "Our target date is September. We are in a rush.
"Hopefully, we can finish the hearings by the end of August.
That would leave us a month actually to come out with the reports.
On whether the RCI could complete its work within the one-month duration with the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan also approaching, Shim said they would try their best, he said:
"If we can't, then we may ask for an extension. There may be a need for an extension. We'll see what happens."
In March, this year, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah extended the RCI proceedings by six months, from March 21 to Sept. 20 to enable the investigation and compilation of reports according to Section 5 of the Commission of Enquiry Act 1950 (Act 119).
The RCI Chairman also said he was happy with the way the proceedings had gone so far. Upcoming proceedings are scheduled to be held from July 15 to 19, and then from July 22 to 25.
Shim also said that overall, he was happy with the Daily Express reports on the RCI proceedings.
"The reports are more comprehensive than those in other papers," he said, while hoping that overall all the journalists would continue to do a good job in their coverage.
Both of them need to testified, as it was well known that both of them were heavily implicated with the so-called "project IC"...
ReplyDeleteSiapakah yang sebenarnya "the founder of project ic"?
DeleteMereka yang disyaki harus diambil tindakan.
Delete"In fact, both Dr Mahathir and Anwar have accused each other of having had a hand in the phenomenal increase in foreigners acquiring Malaysian citizenship in Sabah without going through the due process".
ReplyDeleteWhich is the best time for these two to present their point of innocents, other than during the on going RCI?? called them up & let them defend themselves!!
"If we can't, then we may ask for an extension. There may be a need for an extension. We'll see what happens."
ReplyDeleteI don't care how much time it takes for the RCI to conclude its finding, the main thing is the end result: does the RCI will pave a way for a permanent solution of the illegal immigrant problem in Sabah?
Postponing the finding may not help the case. It will keep prolong the matter like no ending.
DeleteRCI harus mempercepatkan lagi kerjanya agar rakyat tahu apakah yang sebenarnya berlaku.
DeleteSabah Umno liaison deputy chief Salleh Said Keruak has challenged opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to tell the truth about the illegal immigrants to the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) tasked with looking into the long-standing problem in the state.
ReplyDeleteHe said that Anwar was duty-bound to do so as he was deputy prime minister at that particular period, adding that “he was a powerful man and knew what was going on in Sabah”.
ReplyDelete“Don’t be a hypocrite, perharps with the inside knowledge, Anwar can help shed some light… so tell the truth to RCI. He must not play politics. At least Najib Tun Razak, our Prime Minister, is prepared to seek the truth and approved the formation of RCI to identify the roots of the problem.
ReplyDelete“We should not come into a conclusion and blame certain parties just because of statements by few ex-ISA [Internal Security Act] detainees. We should let RCI complete its works…What we want is a permanent solution,” he told Bernama after attending a meet-the-people session at SK Sembirai, near here today.
ReplyDeleteIn this respect, Salleh, who is also State Legislative Assembly Speaker, said the people should praise and support Najib for his bold move to form the RCI.
ReplyDeleteTubuhkan RCI tidak bermaksud masalah boleh diselesaikan.
Delete“Once RCI completes its task then the government will study and act on it accordingly to resolve the matter once and for all.
ReplyDelete“Those who were qualified and obtained their citizenship through proper procedure should not be punished and those who obtained it through illegal or dubious means must have their citizensip revoked. That should be the way,” he said.
ReplyDeletePenggunaan dokumen palsu adalah kesalahan yang amat serius.
DeleteUndang-undang harus memainkan peranan terhadap mereka yang menggunakan dokumen palsu.
DeleteExpressing confidence that the illegal immigrants’ problem would be resolved by the government under Najib, Salleh said genuine Sabahans must be patient to wait for a permanent solution.
ReplyDeleteKami menantikan perkembangan selanjutnya adakah isu PATI ini benar boleh diselesaikan.
DeleteMeanwhile, Parti Bersatu Sabah, which may have been a victim of Umno’s citizenship-for votes scam in the 1994 elections, also wants Anwar to testify at the ongoing RCI.
ReplyDeletePBS information chief Johnny Mositun said Anwar was the deputy prime minister at the time and privy to information exclusive to the top most leadership.“I am sure he has much to reveal,” said Mositun after launching a PBS workshop here recently.
ReplyDeleteMositun said thus far Anwar, who is PKR de facto leader, has been silent on the illegal immigrant issue during his trips to Sabah.
ReplyDelete“Whenever he comes to Sabah he (Anwar) only talks about how poor Sabah is to the extent that people in Semenanjung really think that we Sabahans are very poor, ” he said.
ReplyDeleteThe setting up of the RCI and appointment of its chairman and members was announced by Najib on Aug 11 last year to solve the problem of illegal immigrants in Sabah.
ReplyDeleteSetting up RCI just a first step, proceed with investigation and findings are what the people expecting.
DeleteThe hearing of the proceedings was headed by former Chief Justice of Sabah and Sarawak Steve Shim Lip Kiong.
ReplyDeleteThe panellists were Universiti Malaysia Sabah ex-vice chancellor Kamaruzaman Ampon, Kuala Lumpur ex-police chief Henry Chin Poy Wu, former Sabah state secretary Kee Mustafa and ex-deputy chief minister and former state attorney-general Herman J Luping.
ReplyDeleteWalaupun perhatian kini ditumpukan kepaa bekas PM Mahathir atas peranannya memberi kewarganegaraan kepada imigran di Sabah untuk mengundi, ketua pembangkang Anwar Ibrahim juga mungkin menjadi sasaran.
ReplyDeletePengumuman suruhajaya diraja untuk menyiasat perkara itu mungkin menjejaskan legasi Mahathir, namun Anwar yang merupakan bekas timbalan PM juga merupakan sebahagian daripada legasi tersebut.
ReplyDeleteAda orang yang masih menyalahkan Anwar kerana membawa masuk UMNO ke Sabah sebelum ini.
ReplyDeleteSekiranya Anwar turut terlibat, ketua umum PKR itu juga akan terjejas. Kesan kepada Anwar adalah serius jika siasatan suruhanjaya itu turut mengaitkan bekas orang kanan Mahathir itu.
Anwar kini juga masih aktif dalam arena politik sedangkan Mahathir telahpun bersara.
ReplyDeleteIa mungkin menjejaskan UMNO bawah Mahathir yang merupakan generasi lama, tapi generasi baru (pembangkang) akan merana jika Anwar terlibat.
Pembangkang kata Mahathir semasa berkuasa sebagai PM secara sulit menjalankan Projek IC Sabah memberi warganegara kepada imigran Filipina dan Indonesia yang beragama Islam supaya boleh mengundi.
ReplyDeleteTapi dimana kedudukan Anwar ketika itu. Kenapa tidak salahkan Anwar juga.
Anwar tidak berkuasa seperti Mahathir.
DeleteNajib umum pembentukan RCI Projek IC tidak lama dulu bila ahli politik Sabah bising dengan masalah pendatang dari Filipina dan Indonesia. Ada kata orang Pakistan pun diberi IC!
ReplyDeleteThe Law of Majoriti jelas: Pandangan Majoriti menguasai pandangan minoriti. Soal 'to make illegal thing legal' itu pilihan orang politik yang berkuasa!
ReplyDeleteKatakan jika Najib umum bahawa Projek IC Sabah bahawa bukan Mahathir saja bersalah tapi juga membabitkan Anwar! Apa kesannya?
Ramai orang kata Mahathir akan terlepas sebab dia ahli politik yang licik. Bagaimana mahu buktikan isu 'to make illegal thing legal? Kita tahu apa-apa yang berlaku tiada mana pihak mahu bertanggungjawab.
ReplyDeleteOrang Sabah patut tahu Anwar Ibrahim yang beriya mahu membawa UMNO ke Sabah semasa beliau dalam UMNO.
inilah pppolitttik.
ReplyDelete