Cleanest Polls For Sabah.

Election Commission (EC) Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said Wednesday that the country presently has the "cleanest electoral roll because the Commission is tidying it up on a daily basis."

This includes Sabah's, although certain testimonies heard in the ongoing Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) investigating the illegal immigrant issue in Sabah may have suggested otherwise.

The election this time around may be hot' and challenging, he said, but it would definitely not be the dirtiest.

He added that the list of voters in the current rolls are eligible Malaysian citizens whose identities have been verified by the National Registration Department.

The EC does 'cleaning up' of the electoral roll everyday with assistance from the relevant authorities, especially the National Registration Department (NRD)," he said, after presenting appointment letters to three non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who were made domestic observers for the 13th general election in Sabah and Labuan in a ceremony at the Magellan, Wednesday.

Abdul Aziz said observers need to abide by EC rules and are given a month to recruit their volunteers.

The EC will spend RM52 million to run the 13th general election in Sabah and Labuan. It is far less than the RM78m it would be spending in Sarawak despite the State only holding a parliamentary election.

Overall, RM400m has been allocated for the GE 13.

Meanwhile, Abdul Aziz said the NRD is the authority that determines whether an individual is a Malaysian or not, as well as whether the person was still alive.

Apart from the NRD, he said they also work with the Prisons Department on the criminal record of individuals as well as the Health Department for instances of unsound minds.

"So what I mean is that the present electoral roll the EC has containing 13.3 million voters up until December last year, is clean.

Firstly, because they are all citizens of this country.

And when I said this I mean that they are registered with the EC using identification documents already authenticated by the NRD," he said.

Also they are all aged 21 and above and, thirdly, they are still alive.

"And sometimes it is the electorates themselves who notified us to do correction like of their names, locality and so on.

Because it is only them and nobody else who can do amendments on their respective personal particulars," he said. This is besides the many improvements made to prevent cheating like the use of indelible ink and so on.

"So based on all these improvement made definitely the 13th general election will not be the dirtiest É the 13th general election may probably be the most challenging one, but not the dirtiest," he said.

Abdul Aziz said what happened in Sabah in the 1990 election is also coming together under the ongoing RCI hearing, adding four of the EC senior officials including the Sabah EC Director have also been called to testify before the RCI panel.

"But whatever it is, the present electoral roll we have is clean, and I guarantee this," he said, assuring the EC will comply with whatever recommendations the RCI panel may come up with which concern it.

Meanwhile, the three NGOs are Malaysian History Association Sabah branch, which was represented by its honorary secretary Sharifah Seri Lailah Tuanku Sh. Ahmad to receive the appointment letter, Federation of Chinese Association Sabah (FCAS) by its acting president Datuk Goh Tian Chuan and Sabah Youth Council, by its President Kevin T.P Lim.

The EC statistics showed that 969,497 registered voters in Sabah and 24,268 in Labuan are eligible to cast their votes in the election.

The new list of registered voters would only be gazetted at the end of this month.

Of the figure, for Sabah 951,506 are ordinary voters while 17,939 and 52 voters are categorised as postal voters and those who cast their votes at Malaysian embassies overseas, respectively.

In Labuan, there are 22,763 ordinary voters and 1,710 postal voters, while those to cast vote overseas, five.

Those present at the event also had a chance to watch the new theme song for the 13th general election which featured hip-hop group, One Nation Emcee.

Sources: Daily Express Sabah

No Desire to return home!!!!!

Filipinos holding Permanent Residence (PR) status here told the RCI panel they no longer intend to return to their home country.

Jamil Manap, 64, from Pulau Pengutaraan, Philippines, who came to Sabah in 1978 and Mat Yusay Bingkai who arrived in 1972 from Tawi-Tawi, both have relatives already here.

Both also testified that they came to Sabah to flee the Moro and Marcos conflict in southern Philippines. Jamil said he landed in Sabah after jumping off a kumpit (cargo boat) near Kudat and swam ashore to Kg Baru Baru.

The boat was carrying dried coconuts from the Philippines heading to Labuan.

"I didn't bring any document, I ran away from there because I was afraid of the conflict É I did not support anybody so I ran," said Jamil.

From Kudat, he went to the Telipok Resettlement Scheme where he stayed with an Imam and began working as a construction labourer for 10 years using only a work pass as his identification document.

In 1999, he managed to apply for the IMM13 before applying for the entry pass from the Immigration Department in 2002 and eight years later obtained the MyPR (red IC).

"I am thankful that now I would not have to worry (about being arrested) anymore," he said, adding that his wife and his eldest child were also holding MyPR while his second child is still using the IMM13 document.

He also said he was comfortable living in Telipok.

"I don't want to go back to the Philippines," he said when asked if he had any intention to go back.

Jamil's command of Bahasa Melayu was still below par which was evident when he answered a question by Conducting Officer Jamil Aripin if he still has any "saudara mara" (relatives) in the Philippines.

"Marah? Tidak, saya tidak marah Filipin (angry? No I am not angry with the Philippines Government)".

When told the question was whether he had anymore relatives like brothers, sisters, parents or grandparents, he answered "yes there is one."

Before Jamil was released as witness, lawyer Ansari Abdullah who was representing Dr Chong Eng Leong asked if he knew many people from the Philippines who came to Sabah were staying in the Telipok Resettlement Scheme and whether some of the people there could vote.

"Yes (most are Filipinos) and they could be (able to vote)," he answered.

For Mat Yusay, 59, he obtained his MyPR in 2004 and so have all his six children who are currently working in factories in Peninsular Malaysia.

He had been staying in Lok Urai, Pulau Gaya, ever since he arrived in Sabah in 1972.

He also told the RCI panel that most of the people staying in Lok Urai now apart from locals were holders of MyPR, IMM13 and some even still holding the Kad Burung-Burung as well as illegal immigrants.

He chose to stay in Lok Urai because most of his relatives were there who had been staying there since colonial time.

"I am already old and most of my relatives are here," he said when asked if he has intentions to return to his home country.

When asked by RCI Chairman, Tan Sri Steve Shim, he said he came to Sabah in a boat with 30 others but he did not know the whereabouts of these people now.

He told Shim they landed at Sandakan and did not face any problem entering Sabah.

Sources: Daily Express

Phantom Voters In Sabah

Fake Identity Card (IC) holders are now making their way into the Electoral Rolls, said Tuaran MP Datuk Wilfred Bumburing. He said this was uncovered recently when a man who was detained for possessing a fake IC was found to be a voter in Inanam as shown in the Electoral Roll.

This was despite repeated announcements by the Election Commission (EC) that there was no way for people with fake ICs to be registered as voters, he said in his talk at a forum organised by Pakatan Rakyat Sabah in Airport View Hotel, here, Saturday.

Bumburing, who is the leader of the Sabah Reform Movement (APS), claimed that police officers from Sabah who are working in the peninsula had also told him that two people holding fake ICs with Sabah addresses had been arrested there.

"The question is how can a fake IC get through Immigration checks? This can only be done if there is some 'kerjasama' (collaboration)," he said, adding that he had to choose his words carefully. Bumburing said the major promise given to the people of Sabah upon the formation of Malaysia was that the Government must protect the citizens.

However, this was not the case as the rising number of illegal immigrants, who were then given citizenship in the country were actually threatening the security of the original citizens. "There is no country in the world that has no migration population but they came with proper immigration papers. The unique thing about us is that, and I have said this in Parliament, the issuance of ICs to foreigners is faster than the Pos Laju (mail courier service) that former Minister Datuk S. Samy Vellu had been quoted as saying 'today you send, yesterday you'll receive it'," he said. He also said that the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants alone might not be sufficient since based on past experience it seemed that the Government can choose whether they want to take action following the findings of RCI investigations.

Towards this end, Bumburing said the 13th General Election would be the best and the last chance for the opposition to effect change. Meanwhile, DAP Sabah Secretary, Dr Edwin Bosi, said the fate of the Kadazandusun people is similar to the endangered Sumatran Rhinos. He said in 1931 there were 90,267 Kadazandusuns or about 42 per cent of a population of 214,729, in 1963 the community made up 43 per cent of the population but in 2010, the Kadazandusuns only accounted for 17.8 per cent of Sabah's population of 3.12 million. In his talk entitled impact of illegal immigrants on the Kadazandusuns of Sabah, he said the Kadazandusuns have lost their political advantage in terms of numbers.

"The advantage has now gone when thousands of illegal immigrants have been legalised with many now registered to vote. The Kadazandusuns are now only good for the opposition bench," he said. "They are no more the largest ethnic group in Sabah and they do not have many state or parliamentary seats that they dominate. The enlarged State Assembly from 48 to 60 has been crafted through gerrymandering to give a certain ethnic group majority in the Assembly.

"Kadazandusuns have about 18 state seats and seven MP seats to their advantage. Even if the Kadazandusuns collude with the Chinese community, they can only be good enough to give a good opposition to Umno in Sabah," he said.

The Kadazandusun community's only hope is the awakening of the Muslim natives - Bajau and Irranun-whose rights and privileges were also impacted by the so-called new bumiputera in Sabah, he said. "In view of that, the only hope for the Kadazandusuns is to unite and support Pakatan Rakyat. The Kadazandusun leaders must be brave to fight for the rights of the community within the framework of a Pakatan Rakyat government. "As far as the Kadazandusuns are concerned, this 13th General Election will be a defining moment for the community," he said. Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sabah Electoral Reforms Bureau Chief, Dr Chong Eng Leong, claimed that based on his research out of the nearly one million registered voters in the Sabah electoral rolls, about 200,000 of them were with doubtful identification documents.

Dr Chong also criticised the terms of reference of the RCI, which he said did not mention anything about actions to be taken against the offenders in the issuance of ICs to illegal immigrants.

In this respect, he recommended some of the actions for the RCI namely:

1. Call not just government agencies like NRD, Police, Immigration Departments but also ex-ISA detainees involved in this IC scam (like Hassnar Ibrahim, Jabar Khan, Yakup Damsar), Suhakam, NGOs who are in the know and individuals like book author MD Mutalib. Call heads of present and past EPF and Socso who knew about phantom contributors to testify as well and accept volunteers who want to come forward to testify;

2. Not just investigate but also (i) probe into the people responsible and have the power to recommend appropriate actions to be taken on them and (ii) to recommend reviewing citizenship of these Project Mahathir citizens and follow-up actions;

- Deport all paperless foreigners;

- To investigate the number of foreign migrants granted PR status in Sabah and appropriate recommendations like invoking the IGC Reports on immigration and follow-up actions;

- To recommend to stop issuing IMM13 or refugee status to Filipinos, review their status and deal with them appropriately;

- Foreign workers with permit must not be accompanied by dependents;

- Corruption within the agencies concerned to be dealt with seriously - instill patriotism to our people especially these agencies' personnel;

- For foreigners who cannot be deported, consider distributing them proportionately to the rest of Malaysia or to third countries;

- Investigate the number of these foreign migrants registered in the electoral rolls with the view to expunge them before the next elections.

Daily Express

Picture From: http://mutalibmd.blogspot.com/

RCI Better late than never, UBF.

Sabah State Reform Party (Star) on Friday said if the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants in Sabah is really set up, the government should consider several important factors.

Its Chairman, Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said the government must be sincere, and that the Terms of Reference must be really comprehensive.

"Members of the RCI should also consist of people with high integrity with no political interest and should be good people from Sabah," he said.

He said the RCI's investigation should also be carried out and completed before the next General Election.

This is because many voters in Sabah are foreigners, many of whom are already proven to be in the electoral roll, he said.

"We are very happy to hear that the federal government is finally considering the setting up of the RCIÉeven though it is long overdue, it is better late than never," he said.

STAR. UBF

Image: Google Image.

RCI

The statement by Pekida Sabah head, Datu Akjan Ali Muhammad that the proposed Royal Commision of Inquiry (RCI) will cause racial tension among the various ethnic groups in Sabah is not only irresponsible but scandalous, ridiculous and a treason to all genuine Sabahans, said UBF Deputy Chairman, Awang Ahmad Sah.

He said all ethnic groups in Sabah, including local Suluks and Bajaus, have been living together and working hand in hand since Independence in 1963 and have even formed the State Government together and shared the power.

"Our concern on the wrongful issuance of IC, MyKad and citizenship to the illegal immigrants is genuine as these foreigners have numbered almost equal to the local population," he said in a statement Wednesday.

Awang Ahmad said the giving of citizenships to unqualified illegal immigrants is a serious offence and an act of treason and threatens the national security not only of Sabah but of the country.

"The mass issuance of MyKad to the illegals has indirectly encouraged the influx of illegal immigrants from the Southern Philippines and Indonesia.

If left unchecked, Sabah's local population will be outnumbered.

"Ironically, instead of protecting Sabah from being "invaded" by Indonesia or the Plilippines as promised by Tunku Abdul Rahman, immigrants are resulting in a reverse takeover of Sabah," he claimed.

"This is the problem that we are talking about."

In this respect, he said the RCI is the best body to investigate how the illegal immigrants obtained their identity cards and who were responsible.

He said only the RCI can independently investigate the roots of the problems and offer remedies to be taken to resolve the problem of illegal immigrants and the granting of citizenships to them who are unqualified.

"It is Sabahans that are threatened and not those in the Peninsular.

The threat affects all sectors especially employment, education, politics, business and land as well as the creation of rising crime and social problems.

Awang Ahmad said already, the public transportation such as taxis and buses are dominated by these immigrants or new Sabahans, while enrolment at public universities and colleges were seriously affected.

In Kinabatangan alone, for example, he said locals were being outnumbered by five fold with a reported population of 117,689 foreigners and 32,638 locals in 2010.

He said state seats in the East Coast and West Coast especially Muslim majority seats and mixed-seats are already filled with thousands of voters with dubious MyKad. Towards this end, he said the resolution of the illegal immigrants problem requires a strong political will.

"The dependence on these "foreign voters" have weakened Sabah Umno leaders."

For example, he said illegal immigrants were occupying road reserve land at Putatan, but the Government doesn't have the guts to chase them out for fear of losing their votes come the next elections.

However, if it involves the locals, the Government would promptly demolish their houses.

"This is not politicising the issue nor it is politically motivated.

"Due to the fact that the Federal and State Governments have failed to act, it has now become a political issue that must be solved by the Federal Government and establishing the RCI is a must. All Sabahans including those in Umno must support the RCI," he said.

"As native Sabahans, we should look forward above religion and race.

Who will look after us when our oil are exhausted and Sabah becomes a 'liability' to the Federal Government?" he asked.

"All Sabahans must unite to ensure a better future for our future generations. The Federal leaders should make Sabahans proud to be Malaysians by practising justice and respecting the feelings of Sabahan Malaysians," he said.

Daily Express Online. 22 Dec 2011