Tanduo intrusion a security problem self-inflicted by Federal govt – Dr. Jeffrey

KOTA KINABALU - “The evidence unearthed at the on-going Tanduo terrorism trial not only corroborate with the findings of the RCI Report but shows that the Sabah security problem is self-inflicted by the federal government in giving ICs and MyKads to ineligible foreigners and with it voting rights" said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, noting that a MyKad was amongst the items seized from a terrorist suspect at the trial.

“Actually, it is nothing new as any Sabahan will tell you. Malaysians have awoken to this threat of fake Sabahan/Malaysian with criminal activities including murder and foreign security guards holding fake Malaysian ICs and Pakistani taxi drivers holding ICs purporting them to be Sabahans in the past few months” explained Dr. Jeffrey.

“They are just the tip of the ice-berg and over time, the time-bomb planted by the federal government will explode not in Sabah but in the Peninsula itself. There is probably at least 1.5 million foreigners holding Malaysian ICs purportedly issued in Sabah” cautioned Dr. Jeffrey.

The RCI missed a golden opportunity and should have re-convened itself to hear evidence of these IC holders, security guards, taxi drivers, general workers and the Ambank murder cum robbery suspect, found in the Peninsula.

“A deeper investigation into the issuance of these fake ICs could have unearthed a new dimension on the illegal immigrants from the additional evidence and added in the just released RCI Report. It could also have provided an invaluable insight into the penetration of these foreigners in the government service, army, police and security forces” added Dr. Jeffrey.

The federal government and its leaders including Umno leaders from Sabah may want the RCI Report to be a face-saving public relations exercise to say that Project IC did not exist.

However, there are deep-rooted and serious problems arising from the illegal issued ICs and MyKads and entry of foreigners into the electoral rolls.   It is not just an issue of a million or two fake IC holders in Sabah anymore and it is not only a security problem confined to Sabah.

“We need to be warned that as for the militants in Southern Philippines, they were armed, trained and financed by the federal government.   This was openly acknowledged by MNLF leader, Nur Misuari, himself” said Dr. Jeffrey.

The whole country, its sovereignty and security is at stake. What will eventually happen in the future will depend very much on what the federal government will do to resolve the problems including the illegal issuance of up to 1.5 to 1.7 million illegals and their entry in the electoral rolls?