By: JOE FERNANDEZ
FORMER Human Rights Commissioner, Tan Sri Simon Sipaun has endorsed he move by the United PasokMomogun KadazanDusunMurut Organisation (UPKO) to keep up attention on abuses in the issuance of the MyKad.
“It's not good to just give up on the issue just because one cannot expect anything from this federal government,” said Sipaun.
“Upko should not be standing alone on this issue. The others, who have been taking up this issue so far before abandoning it, should put aside politics and also come out in support of Upko.”
Sipaun said he is prepared to provide written and oral testimony if needed to prove that illegal immigrants in Sabah are holding the MyKad issued by the National Registration Department (NRD).
He revealed that he has documents that were accumulated during his years with the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), of which he was vice-chairperson. He is now an adviser with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
“We should not let pass Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein Onn's challenge in Parliament on June 25 for evidence of abuses in the issuance of the MyKad. His challenge is on record in the Hansard.”
Sipaun said this may be the first time that a federal minister has denied and contradicted himself in the same breath on the issue.
“Hishammuddin was right and proper to say that the NRD doesn't issue MyKad to illegal immigrants and to cite the federal constitution and two Acts. No government in the world, even the worst, would say that it bestows citizenship status on illegal immigrants.”
Although the minister then contradicted himself by challenging Tuaran MP and UPKO Deputy President, Wilfred Bumburing to prove him wrong, Sipaun said this was “a godsend opportunity to expose the abuses”.
“Wilfred and I have been in contact with one another. He requested my help. I passed him quite a bit of information last Sunday. What I gave him should be more than enough for him to prove Hishammuddin wrong.”
'Muslim hegemony'
Sipaun has a ready answer as to why the NRD and federal government continue to be in a constant state of denial on the MyKad issue despite evidence to the contrary.
“They have no choice but cover up the abuses perpetuated by successive prime ministers since 1970”, he said, attributing the problem to “Muslim hegemony of Sabah” both directly and by proxy from Putrajaya.
He expressed worry that the continued abuse will result increasingly in the isolation, neutralisation and marginalisation of Sabahans through “inherent disenfranchisement”.
“This (MyKad abuse) is in fact the result of a conspiracy against Sabah at the highest levels of the federal government.
“The Election Commission (EC) is involved as well. It registers any Tom, Dick and Harry with a MyKad as a voter. It claims it is not its work to check whether a MyKad holder is entitled to the document.”
A Royal Commission of Inquiry would end the MyKad controversy in Sabah once and for all, he reiterated.
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