In a series of frustrated Tweets, DAP Parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang has slammed the government for not releasing an online version of the much anticipated Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on Sabah and Sarawak.
According to the Home Ministry, the 398 page document released today would only be sold on hard copy beginning tomorrow, from 9 am to 4 pm, prompting Lim to Tweet: “Apparently, our Chief Secretary (to the government, Ali Hamsa) never heard of simultaneously release in era of IT. What a shame! Is the Report of RCIIIS available online?”
He said that Ali Hamsa “messing up” the releasing of the report was a bad reflection on his position as Chief Secretary.
“What disappointment. Report of RCIIIS will not be on sale for public today – only tmr. Why the mess after 6 mths doing nothing since May 14?” Tweeted Lim.
The Home Ministry announced the report is in two versions, that is Bahasa Malaysia and English, which will cost RM100 a copy.
He also complained that UMNO paid cybertroopers with fake accounts were attacking his Twitter account with Twitter bombs and spam -coinciding with the release of the RCIIIS Report in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
Meanwhile in Kota Kinabalu,DAP Sabah Chairman and MP for Kota Kinabalu Jimmy Wong along with Kapayan Assemblyman Edwin Bosi were barred from entering the press conference during the release of the report there.
Anti climatic RCI report
Upon the release of the reports today, DAP Sabah Vice Chairman Chan Foong Hin commented that the long awaited RCI report was anti-climatic.
“After two years, it only made one recommendation in its 368 page report, a so called permanent secretariat to address the problem of illegal immigrants in the state.”
It was anticipated that the RCI report would seriously look into the “Project IC” claims that gave illegal immigrants citizenship in Sabah. An alleged hundreds of thousands of identification cards was said to have been given out to the immigrants, severely affecting the demographics of the state. It was also alleged that these voters had voted in favour of the ruling alliance government. Implicated in the “Project IC” was former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s political secretary.
Chan who is also Sri Tanjong Assemblyman has asked Tan Sri Pairin Kitingan, the chairman for the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) to make a clear stand whether he accepted the newly released (RCI) on illegal immigrants report.
“Would Pairin accept this finding as majority of Sabahans believed that federal agencies and UMNO leaders issued citizenship in exchange for votes to oust PBS state government in 1994?”, Chan asked.
It was reported in the RCI, that government and political parties were not involved in the mass issuance of citizenship to migrants in Sabah. Instead, it pinpointed at “syndicates” involving former National Registration Department officials as culprits.
The Terms of Reference (TOR) of the RCI is investigative and not corrective in nature, as pointed out by former State Secretary Tan Sri Simon Sipaun before.
“But it’s total insulting to Sabahan’s wisdom if the finding only concluded that 68,703 ineligible people were issued citizenship between 1963 to August 31 last year,” expressed Chan.
“It fully demonstrates that even investigation was not done properly,” he added.
The commission had concluded that Project IC “probably” existed, prompting Chan to question the BN government’s resolute in solving the issue if that they had denied the existence of the problem.
“It’s a sad day for Sabahan. Our hope entirely disillusioned. Once again, BN government has failed us. Pairin should immediately reject his appointment as the chairman of the special committee to study and implement the recommendations of the RCI report as there is nothing to study. I challenge Pairin to make his stand clearly. He should stand up and show his courage to the people. This is the last war of dignity for Pairin and PBS.” Chan said.
