Just days before the Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is to announce the government’s decision on the proposal to establish a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants in Sabah given citizenship and rights to vote, Pakatan Rakyat demanded that the RCI cover not just the land below the wind but the whole nation.
“We urge the government to establish (the RCI) immediately and don’t limit it to just Sabah because this is a national issue,” said PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim during a press conference at PKR headquarters after chairing the Pakatan leadership council meeting.
The opposition coalition also wanted the authorities to verify the citizenship and voting rights of those dubious voters before calling the next general election.
It was reported that Najib is expected to make the much-awaited announcement with regard to the federal cabinet’s decision on the RCI during his next visit to Sabah, slated for two days beginning on Feb 16.
According to Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Maximus Ongkili, the recent cabinet meeting had discussed the issue in detail.
In another related development, Anwar revealed the meeting had lengthy discussion on preparations for the general election and resolved that the Election Commission (EC) should remove the42,000 dubious names from the electoral role.
As part of the effort to clean up the problematic electoral roll, the EC had displayed 42,051 names of voters which do not exist in the National Registration Department for two months, but only 50 persons came forward to verify their status.
Hence the EC is mulling over whether to remove the remaining 42,025 names from the electoral roll.
Anwar also reiterated that Pakatan had detected an unusual surge of voters since the last general election in certain Parliamentary constituencies won by its component parties.
Among others, voters in Subang (PKR) has increased by 35 percent from 84,000 to 114,000; Kota Raja (PAS) recorded drastic growth of 29.5 percent while Puchong (DAP) saw its voter number balloon by 25 percent.
He also claimed that some 600 voters were transferred to the same addresses in constituencies located within the Federal Territory.
“We are still doubtful of the credibility and freedom of the EC. It needs to have more transparency, and information should be given to all quarters earlier so we can have a thorough examination,” the Permatang Pauh MP added.
Anwar was asked on the issue of the deportation of Saudi Arabian national Hamza Kashgari, but he replied that the Pakatan leadership council did not discuss it.
“We urge the government to establish (the RCI) immediately and don’t limit it to just Sabah because this is a national issue,” said PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim during a press conference at PKR headquarters after chairing the Pakatan leadership council meeting.
The opposition coalition also wanted the authorities to verify the citizenship and voting rights of those dubious voters before calling the next general election.
It was reported that Najib is expected to make the much-awaited announcement with regard to the federal cabinet’s decision on the RCI during his next visit to Sabah, slated for two days beginning on Feb 16.
According to Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Maximus Ongkili, the recent cabinet meeting had discussed the issue in detail.
In another related development, Anwar revealed the meeting had lengthy discussion on preparations for the general election and resolved that the Election Commission (EC) should remove the42,000 dubious names from the electoral role.
As part of the effort to clean up the problematic electoral roll, the EC had displayed 42,051 names of voters which do not exist in the National Registration Department for two months, but only 50 persons came forward to verify their status.
Hence the EC is mulling over whether to remove the remaining 42,025 names from the electoral roll.
Anwar also reiterated that Pakatan had detected an unusual surge of voters since the last general election in certain Parliamentary constituencies won by its component parties.
Among others, voters in Subang (PKR) has increased by 35 percent from 84,000 to 114,000; Kota Raja (PAS) recorded drastic growth of 29.5 percent while Puchong (DAP) saw its voter number balloon by 25 percent.
He also claimed that some 600 voters were transferred to the same addresses in constituencies located within the Federal Territory.
“We are still doubtful of the credibility and freedom of the EC. It needs to have more transparency, and information should be given to all quarters earlier so we can have a thorough examination,” the Permatang Pauh MP added.
Anwar was asked on the issue of the deportation of Saudi Arabian national Hamza Kashgari, but he replied that the Pakatan leadership council did not discuss it.
On the arrest in Indonesia of Hilmi Malek, who was said to be involved in releasing semi-nude pictures of Selangor exco member Elizabeth Wong, Anwar said he had not received any information from either Hilmi or his family, and wondered why it has become an issue.
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