RCI TERMS OF REFERENCE LOOKS VERY LEGALISTIC

KOTA KINABALU : Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) President Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee said the terms of reference of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Sabah’s illegal immigrant problem looks very legalistic.

Yong added that only after the public hearing starts will the people know whether the RCI accepts submissions on the role of the Executive, government officers and Umno operatives.

"If so, then the BN-Umno will be badly affected by the public hearings, but the 6-month period is too long because the report will be out after the general elections," Yong said while commenting on the recently appointed RCI panel

However, Yong said that SAPP will make their submissions to the RCI.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had on Aug 11 appointed former High Court judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Steve Shim to head the RCI.

The RCI panel would include former Universiti Malaysia Sabah Vice Chancellor Datuk Dr Kamaruzaman Ampon, former Sabah Attorney General Tan Sri Herman Luping, former Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Datuk Henry Chin and former State Secretary Datuk KY Mustafa.

Najib said the RCI's terms of reference would include whether illegal immigrants in Sabah had identity cards or citizenship and, if so, whether these documents or citizenship were given legally.

According to Najib, the terms of reference would also investigate whether the issuance of blue identity cards or citizenship to immigrants in Sabah was in accordance with the law.

The RCI also would investigate whether immigrants in Sabah holding blue identity cards, temporary identification receipts (blue) or citizenship documents had illegally been registered into the electoral rolls.

It would probe whether the authorities had taken any action or carried out any improvements to standard operating procedures (SOP), measures and regulation to avoid any infringement of the law.

The RCI also to investigate in detail the SOP, measures and regulations relating to the issuance of blue identity cards or citizenship to immigrants in Sabah by taking into account international standards and norms used in Malaysia and to reccommend any amendments or changes to strengthen or improve the SOP, measures and regulations.

It would also investigate the reasons for the extraordinary increase in Sabah's population like Sabahans living in the state including those accorded blue identity cards and citizenship through late birth registration, foreign workers (including their families), illegal immigrants (including their families) and refugees and their impact on the electoral roll.

The RCI also to investigate the social implications of the issuance of blue identity cards or citizenship to immigrants in the state on Sabahans.

It would determine the number of foreigners in Sabah who have been given blue identity cards or citizenship by taking into account their stateless status.