Lajim welcomes special team to investigate false ICs

Opposition leaders in Sabah have welcomed the setting up of a special team to investigate syndicates issuing false identity cards in Sabah.

Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (Harapan Rakyat) president Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin stressed on the urgency for the team to be set up to curb the activities of these syndicates.

Commenting on the announcement on the setting up of the special team, Lajim said the issue was a serious one and alleged that there were still syndicates issuing Malaysian identity cards in Sabah.

The Klias assemblyman in a statement yesterday said Harapan Rakyat wanted the special team to be set up immediately and that the government must ensure public interest, especially for those in Sabah, was protected.

“This special team must also be given full authority and must also adhere to laws or procedures laid down for it,” he said, adding that Harapan Rakyat welcomed the announcement as it was good for the rakyat of Sabah.

At the same time, Lajim also urged the government to clean up the electoral roll and weed out registered voters who were using fake identity cards.

This will ensure a smooth election and an electoral roll that is clear of ‘phantom’ voters, he added.

For Sabah PKR Chief Christina Liew, she wanted to know the difference between the special team and the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the presence of illegal immigrants set up by the government three years ago.

“Will the terms of reference in the special team be the same as the RCI team three years ago?

“What happened to the RCI reports?” she asked, adding that the investigative hearings was made by the panel appointed by the government itself and the submission and recommendations were by the relevant parties, including the Sabah Law Association, and other individuals.

“Until today no news, no decision, no action from the government. Now the Chief Minister (is) talking about forming a special team to probe the illegal ICs in Sabah...why? Is it because the election is coming?” she asked.

According to Liew, based on the evidence given in the RCI hearings, the ICs issued by JPN and other relevant departments, were genuine, but (were) issued illegally and wrongly to the wrong parties.

“So if the state government is talking about probing the ICs, I can safely assume that there is nothing wrong with the ICs per se, only the procedure and recipients are wrong,” she said.

Liew is of the opinion that the trouble with the BN government was that they have no political will to resolve the IC and PTI issues.

“It is lip service only. Talk but no action. No point to form yet another team. Just adopt the RCI reports and act accordingly. No need another round of investigation of ICs. We have more than enough evidence in the RCI hearing and the recommendations submitted to the government,” she said.