Anwar hits out at tribunal’s report on Sabah’s illegals

De factor PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim hit out at the the Royal Commission of Inquiry over its report, calling it meaningless verbiage designed to clear Putrajaya of wrongdoing. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, December 5, 2014.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry’s (RCI) report on illegals in Sabah is meaningless verbiage clearing Putrajaya of wrongdoing, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in a scathing attack against the tribunal.

The de facto PKR leader said the responsibility for what was clearly Malaysia's biggest illegal-immigrant scandal was placed firmly on errant civil servants.

"The masterminds and actual culprits responsible for the nefarious import of illegal immigrants from the Philippines and Indonesia into Sabah have been let off the hook," he said in a statement.

Anwar said the year-long RCI hearing had held out the promise of some form of justice and appropriate retribution for the people of Sabah and the whole country.

Unfortunately, he said, all it has yielded is a 366-page document of meaningless information which exonerated Putrajaya of any culpability.

"While it comes as no surprise that the RCI has absolved the Umno-Barisan Nasional government of any culpability, it has also taken the art of whitewashing to the pits."

Anwar questioned the failure of the RCI findings to mention the role of the National Security Council and the Prime Minister's Department, saying despite the overwhelming evidence, no blame was attributed to either department.

"While it is well known that Putrajaya will never own up to its failings, we would have expected at least a modicum of contrition followed by a resolve to make good the errors and misdeeds of the past."

A copy of the report by the Royal Commission of Inquiry. – The Malaysian Insider pic, December 5, 2014.The RCI was formed on August 11, 2012, nine months before the May 2013 election, and headed by former Sabah and Sarawak Chief Justice Tan Sri Steve Shim Lip Kiong.

Since the findings of the RCI were made public on Wednesday, the report has been criticised and panned by opposition lawmakers, especially in Sabah.

Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, who is chairman of Star Sabah, expressed disappointment in the findings of the RCI, calling it an "insincere" attempt by the ruling coalition to "save its face" and to pacify angry Sabahans over the matter of illegals.

Former Sabah deputy chief minister Datuk Seri Wilfred M. Bumburing said all the identity cards which had been illegally issued should be immediately recalled and replaced with a visiting pass pending an investigation.

He said he could not accept the explanation that it was difficult to locate those holding illegal identity cards. 

- TMI