Digest on Malaysian News

Tan Sri Bernard Dompok failed to get relevant agencies to give replies to hard questions on the identity card issue. Deputy president Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili’s efforts is also a disappointment when he was a federal minister in 2004.

In addition, since Parti Bersatu Sabah has returned to Barisan Nasional, Dr Maximus had been advising Parti Bersatu Sabah president Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan against PBS sending in memorandums to various groups as it was tantamount to stabbing Barisan in the back again.

Obviously, Dr Maximus is stabbing the back of KadazanDusun and the rest of Sabahan by refusing to put serious efforts in pushing for solution to the illegal immigrants problem in Sabah.

Related posts:
* Sabahan will address the illegals as TUAN in future
* Sabah being neglected by the federal government





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Source: thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/25/nation/21358686&sec=nation (May 25, 2008)

PBS leaders at odds over immigrant issue

KOTA KINABALU: The issue of Sabah’s illegal immigrants appears to have put Parti Bersatu Sabah leaders at odds with each other.

Outspoken PBS supreme council member Dr Chong Eng Leong wants the party to support the opposition motion for a Royal Commission of Inquiry on illegal immigrants associated with Project IC or more popularly dubbed 'Project Dr M'.

Chong said that the proposal for a commission of inquiry by DAP’s Lim Kit Siang was not anti-Barisan or pro-Pakatan Rakyat but a matter of defending the sovereignty of Sabah within Malaysia.

He said that a Parliamentary Select Committee on Sabah illegal immigrants was not going to work, as a previous similar committee headed by Tan Sri Bernard Dompok failed to get relevant agencies to give replies to hard questions on the identity card issue.

He described his party’s deputy president Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili’s efforts in pushing for solutions to the illegal immigrant problem after becoming a federal minister in 2004 as a disappointment.

Chong said that Dr Maximus had blocked him from representing PBS to present memos on illegal immigrant papers to Suhakam and also the Parliamentary Select Committee on Unity between 2004 and 2006.

“Dr Maximus is only interested in self advancement,” he alleged and accused his deputy president of trying to stop Sabah MPs from voting for the Royal Commission of Inquiry motion that was disallowed by Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee.

He said Dr Maximus had told him in late 2001 that once PBS returned to Barisan, the illegal immigrant problem would be solved but since becoming a minister he had been advising Parti Bersatu Sabah president Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan against PBS sending in memorandums to various groups as it was tantamount to stabbing Barisan in the back again.

Kota Kinabalu: DAP Kota Kinabalu MP Dr Hiew King Cheu said a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) is still the best approach to solve the illegal immigrant problem in Sabah.

He said contrary to Sabah MP BN Backbenchers Club chairman, Datuk Anifah Aman's belief, the Royal Commission that would come under the direct purview of the King has total authority in getting to the root of the problem affecting Sabah.

"Whereas, a Parliamentary Select Committee is under the Prime Minister and as shown during the last term, such committee was unable to function properly since it is not free to do its job," he said, Saturday.

Commenting on the statement by Anifah that he would be moving a motion at the next sitting of Parliament in June proposing for the establishment of the Parliamentary Select Committee to solve Sabah woes, particularly the illegal immigrants, Hiew said:

"He (Anifah) is going back into history because a Parliamentary Select Committee set up in the last term that was chaired by Tan Sri Bernard Dompok with DAP adviser, Lim Kit Siang as deputy chairman could not really function.

"In fact, the problem of illegal immigrants in Sabah continued to worsen".

Hiew concurred with Parti Bersatu Sabah Supreme Council member Dr Chong Eng Leong that RCI was the best course of action.

"A Sabahan can be appointed as the chief of the royal inquiry so we strongly suggest that the RCI be considered instead," he said.

According to Hiew, it was also wrong for the Sabah BN MPs to say that they don't need Lim Kit Siang to voice pertinent issues concerning Sabah, especially to propose the formation of the RCI.

Hiew added that he had worked closely with Lim to get support from the MPs for the RCI but sadly it was rejected by Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee.

"As a Sabahan MP I had been lobbying the MPs in Parliament to support the motion. The Deputy Speaker (Ronald) as a Sabahan should have at least allowed the motion to be debated," he said.

Hiew said the RCI is long overdue and must be formed quickly in order to solve the problem that had been affecting Sabah for the last four decades and worsening by the day.