JEFFREY FINALLY TAKE STAND AT RCI?

By : AIDILA RAZAK

POSTPONED to make way for the general election, the royal commission of inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants in Sabah that resumes tomorrow is expected to open with a bang.

Although conducting officers are keeping the witness list close to their chests, it is expected that State Reform Party (Star) Chief, Jeffrey Kitingan will finally take the stand.

Jeffrey, who wrote two books on the subject while he was with state government think tank Institute for Development Studies (IDS) during PBS’ rule of the state, was reportedly confirmed to testify in January but was held back.

Another expert witness who may testify this session, which will continue until May 29, is writer Mutalib MD who has published his own research on the alleged citizenship-for-votes scheme.

However, both testimonies may be further delayed as another researcher considered an expert on the matter, PKR's Chong Eng Leong has confirmed that he will not be testifying this round.

"When I rang (the investigating officer) who took my statement as a likely witness, he said that I will not testify this session," Chong told Malaysiakini via SMS.

The proceedings also return amid fiery speculation of 'phantom voters' at polling centres throughout the nation on May 5, and further testimonies could add fat to fire.

Revelations thus far

In the course of the inquiry, which started on Jan 21, the RCI heard testimonies of migrants purported to be beneficiaries of the scheme.

It is also heard how a permanent resident had managed to vote in three elections before his name was eventually removed from the electoral roll.

One Indian national testified that he and 100 fellow Indian nationals went in lorries to a National Registration Department (NRD) office in Kota Marudu in 1988 and received identity cards despite not having any documents.

Although the migrants testified to getting the fast-track citizenship in the 1980s, the RCI revealed the existence of well-oiled ‘black operations’ by the 1990s.

Witnesses who testified on the operations – named G17 and 'Ops Durian Buruk' - implicated the right hand men of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir MohamadHowever, the RCI's terms of reference do not include finding out who was behind the operations and as such, this may remain a mystery when the inquiry concludes.

The RCI comprises afive-member panel, led by former chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak Steven Shim.

It aims to probe the number of foreigners in Sabah given blue identity cards, whether these were awarded in accordance to the law, if they are on the Sabah electoral roll and the sudden surge in Sabah's population and its implications and the number of stateless foreigners in the state.

The RCI has until Sept 21 to complete its investigations.

KARPAL ANCAM SAMAN TUNKU AZIZ

SAMAN.....Karpal akan mengemukakan saman di mahkamah sekiranya Tunku Abdul Aziz tidak menghentikan perbuatan memburukkan DAP.

GEORGE TOWN : Pengerusi DAP Karpal Singh hari ini memberi amaran kepada bekas Naib Pengerusi DAP Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim agar menghentikan segala cerita yang menjadi ‘rahsia’ dalam parti itu kepada umum.

Beliau yang juga anggota Parlimen Bukit Gelugor berkata beliau juga akan mengemukakan saman di mahkamah sekiranya Tunku Abdul Aziz tidak menghentikan perbuatan memburukkan DAP.

“Kita akan bawa perkara ini ke mahkamah, biar beliau (Tunku Abdul Aziz) faham dengan jelas, kini sudah tiba masanya untuk kami bertindak.

“Sebagai seorang yang benar-benar ‘gentleman’ beliau tidak seharusnya mendedahkan apa sahaja yang menjadi rahsia dalam parti kepada pengetahuan umum,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas mengadakan pertemuan dengan penjual dan pengunjung Pasar Awam Island Park di Jalan Gangsa di sini.

Katanya, Tunku Abdul Aziz, yang juga bekas Naib Presiden Transparency International, telah dibawa masuk menyertai DAP pada 23 Ogos 2008 oleh kepimpinan tertinggi parti itu.

Tunku Abdul Aziz kemudian dilantik sebagai Naib Pengerusi DAP, pada 31 Mei 2009 dan dilantik sebagai senator pada Julai 2009.

Pada Mei 2012, Tunku Abdul Aziz mengumumkan keluar daripada DAP dan melepaskan jawatannya dalam parti itu kerana membantah penganjuran perhimpunan haram di ibu negara pada 28 April 2012 kerana khuatir ia boleh bertukar ganas dan bantahan itu kemudian menimbulkan perselisihan faham antara beliau dengan pemimpin DAP.

Bagaimanapun beliau tidak menyertai mana-mana parti politik.

Pada awal Mei lepas, Tunku Abdul Aziz telah mendedahkan di sebuah blog bagaimana beliau boleh menyertai DAP dan selepas setahun menjadi ahli beliau mendapati ideologi dan perjuangan parti itu tidak sehaluan dengan pendiriannya. (Bernama)

ZAHID WAJIB MOHON MAAF SECARA TERBUKA

Oleh: CHARLES P ANDIANG

SANDAKAN : Ahli Parlimen (DAP) Sandakan, Stephen Wong (gambar) menyifatkan gesaan  Menteri Dalam  Negeri,  Datuk Seri  Ahmad Zahid Hamidi  agar  rakyat  yang tidak gembira dengan sistem pilihanraya baru-baru ini supaya meninggalkan negara sebagai kenyataan kebudak-budakan dan  tidak boleh diterima akal.

Katanya, rakyat mempunyai hak mutlak terhadap pilihanraya, sama ada mereka puas hati atau  sebaliknya; oleh itu Zahid tidak berhak menggesa rakyat supaya meninggalkan negara ini jika tidak senang dengan sistem pilihanraya.

“Sebagai seorang menteri yang berpendidikan tinggi, sepatutnya tidak perlu mengeluarkan kenyataan sedemikian kerana jelas akan menyakiti hati seluruh rakyat jelata  di negara ini. Siapa beri dia kuasa menghalau rakyat?” kata Wong.

Wong mengulas kenyataan Ketua Pembangkang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yang tersiar di Portal Online Sabahkini.Net pada 18 Mei 2013 bertajuk: “Kamu Ingat Negara Ini Bapa Kamu Yang Punya.”

Wong menambah,  sebagai sebuah negara yang mengamalkan sistem demokrasi berparlimen, rakyat di negara ini mempunyai kuasa mutlak masing-masing  untuk memilih sesiapa  sahaja pemimpin atau parti yang mereka suka.

"Jika mereka rasa tidak puas hati dengan perjalanan sistem pilihanraya yang diguna pakai di negara ini, mereka berhak membuat bantahan.  Kenapa  rakyat disuruh  supaya meninggalkan negara ini? Di mana letaknya sistem demokrasi yang selama ini dilaung-laungkan," tanya Wong.

Kata Wong lagi, sepatutnya Zahid berfikir panjang sebelum mengeluarkan sesuatu kenyataan yang boleh mengguris hati rakyat jelata di negara ini kerana implikasinya amat besar.

“Dengan ini,  saya menggesa agar Zahid memohon maaf secara terbuka daripada rakyat jelata atas perbuatannya yang melampau batas  sehingga mengguris hati rakyat di negara ini, termasuk saya,” tegasnya.

EXEMPT SABAH SARAWAK FROM GST

KOTA KINABALU : “The people of Sabah and Sarawak should be exempted from the Goods and Services Tax (GST) that appears imminently to be implemented by the BN Federal government at any time,” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, in a press statement released yesterday.

Foremost, the PM need to practise what he says and start implementing his transparency programs by stop 'testing the people' by using mouthpieces for feedbacks on the intended GST implementation.  

The BN government should stop beating round the bush and just plainly say that it needs to raise another RM27 billion from GST, which is the equivalent to about RM1,000 per person per year, to cover the ballooning national debt which have been increased partly by the various Santa Clause programs to fish for votes in the recent general elections.

The BN government should not treat the people as fools anymore.   People can understand the need to increase revenue to cover the national debt but whether the need to tax and burden the people is another matter all together.  

The government should pay attention to reduction of economic leakages and to wipe out corruption which is probably the biggest cause for any unjustified increase in the national debt.

As for the GST itself, the federal government should exempt Sabah and Sarawak from its implementation.    The GST will burden Sabahans and Sarawakians who are already poor.

Sabah and Sarawak are more than justified in being exempted from the GST implementation.

Firstly, Sabah and Sarawak, both with riches and wealth have been robbed and are now suffering from being made the two poorest states in Malaysia.  

In 2012, RM17.88 billion in oil revenue were siphoned by Petronas from Sabah and another RM35 billion from Sarawak. Sabah lost another RM24 billion in federal taxes and revenues collected from the state.

Secondly, the crippling cabotage policy is not only increasing the living costs of Sabahans but is stifling Sabah’s economy and making Sabah an uncompetitive investment destination.  Thus, depriving our youths of further job opportunities.

If the PM is serious with his “Rakyat DiDahulukan” slogan, the PM should immediately abolish the cabotage policy.  There is no two way with it. Yet, the federal and state governments are deaf to the pleas of the people to have the cabotage policy abolished.

Thirdly, rural Sabahans and Sarawakians have low household incomes and this is even made worse by the federal government’s minimum salary level which has fixed a lower minimum of RM900 for Sabah and Sarawak and discriminates against them compared to West Malaysians with a threshold level of RM1,000.

Last but not least, instead of imposing the GST on Sabah and Sarawak, the PM should stop the marginalization of Sabahans and Sarawakians and implement programs in both states to increase the income levels and improve their livelihoods, consistent with his “Rakyat DiDahulukan” slogan.

If the PM fails to exempt Sabah and Sarawak from the GST implementation, he should be wary of the consequences of being the last Umno Prime Minister.

The people in Sabah and Sarawak have awoken to the concept of Sabah and Sarawak being the kingmakers and can topple the BN federal government at any time.   This “kingmaker” role and leverage can be seen in the increased composition of Sabah and Sarawak lawmakers in the new Cabinet and demands for more.

“I will personally be meeting further with Sabah and Sarawak leaders and work on bringing this kingmaker role to the next level.   We need to work towards the restoration of our rights and autonomy if it means toppling the current BN regime” concluded Dr. Jeffrey.

PENANGKAPA​N ADAM CETUS KEBANGKITA​N

Saudara Pengarang,

EKORAN penahanan Adam Adli, Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) akan memastikan kebangkitan anak muda berada di kemuncaknya. SAMM menyifatkan penangkapan Adam sebagai pencetus terbaik memandangkan mood rakyat yang marah dengan penafian demokrasi melampau oleh kerajaan pemerintah.

Ucapan berapi Adam Adli di pentas anjuran SAMM dan SMM 13 Mei lalu telah membawa kepada penahanan beliau semalam di Bangsar Utama.

Adam Adli telah dibawa ke Balai Polis Jinjang atas dakwaan akta hasutan dan kemudian disumbat ke dalam lokap di Lokap Berpusat Kuala Lumpur di Jinjang.

SAMM bersama hampir 100 aktivis rakyat telah berkumpul dan menunjukkan solidariti terhadap Adam Adli di hadapan lokap yang dihuni oleh beliau sepanjang malam tadi.

Hari ini, pihak polis dengan pantas mendapatkan perintah reman ke atas Adam Adli selama 5 hari. Ini satu penindasan terhadap anak muda yang bersuara bagi pihak rakyat majoriti.

Kemarahan Adam terhadap penipuan PRU-13 telah mempengaruhi ucapan beliau untuk menyeru orang ramai menyuarakan bantahan secara aman di jalanraya.

Seruan Adam Adli telah disambut dengan gegak gempita oleh hampir 3 ribu hadirin di KLSCAH yang juga didengari oleh 250 ribu pendengar radio secara live.

Telah berulang kali diungkap dalam kenyataan SAMM sebelum ini bahawa ucapan berbaur perkauman dan kebencian antara agama yang dilontar oleh proksi Umno tidak dikenakan sebarang tindakan walaupun ratusan laporan polis dibuat.

Malah pemimpin Umno, proksi Umno dan pemimpin mesra BN ini juga telah dilindungi dan kebal dari hukuman, menjelaskan lagi betapa negara ini mempunyai dua set undang-undang.

SAMM juga membidas sikap sombong bongkak Menteri Dalam Negeri yang baru apabila memilih untuk mula berkasar terhadap rakyat. Sedangkan ucapan Zahid Hamidi sendiri harus mengundang hasutan apabila mengarahkan rakyat meninggalkan negara ini sekiranya tidak setuju dengan ‘demokrasi yang mati’.

SAMM yakin dan percaya walaupun Adam Adli ditangkap, ia tidak langsung melemahkan gerakan yang diseru oleh Adam Adli iaitu gerakan ke jalanraya, malah tindakan ala-penjajah pihak KDN ini pasti memacu jutaan rakyat untuk hadir ke Kuala Lumpur dalam masa terdekat. Makin kamu menekan rakyat, makin menggunung keberanian rakyat.

SAMM memberi peringatan kepada regim, majoriti rakyat mahukan kerajaan yang baru tetapi malang bagi negara ini apabila kemenangan rakyat dicuri atas nama demokrasi palsu.

Tiba masanya rakyat bangkit untuk tidak menunggu 5 tahun lagi, kerana penantian 55 tahun itu sudah terlalu lama, inilah masanya kebangkitan rakyat. Suara Rakyat Suara Keramat! Kamu tangkap Adam Adli, akan lahir seribu lagi Adam Adli yang membuat seruan yang sama – Jalanraya.

Salam Hormat,

CHE’GUBARD

Pengasas Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia