A royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into Sabah’s prolonged illegal migrants issue will “not do anything at all”, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad says.
Asked about this by reporters today, Mahathir said that the exercise would be futile, for the government would be in trouble regardless of the outcome of the RCI.
“If the findings fall in favour of the government, the opposition will say it’s manipulated and if it is against, the government will get it in the neck,” he said.
Mahathir, who is accused of playing a part in an allegedly politically-motivated naturalisation drive for foreigners starting in the 1990s, added that many of the illegal migrants have been in Sabah long enough to qualify for Malaysian citizenship.
Asked about this by reporters today, Mahathir said that the exercise would be futile, for the government would be in trouble regardless of the outcome of the RCI.“If the findings fall in favour of the government, the opposition will say it’s manipulated and if it is against, the government will get it in the neck,” he said.
Mahathir, who is accused of playing a part in an allegedly politically-motivated naturalisation drive for foreigners starting in the 1990s, added that many of the illegal migrants have been in Sabah long enough to qualify for Malaysian citizenship.
Whether or not they are granted citizenship, he added, is up to the government to decide.
“I am accused of bringing these migrants in. I didn’t have to, they all came themselves...
“I hope there won’t be any efforts to now ship them out as we did that once and they all came back,” he said after attending a Perdana Global Peace Foundation event to commemorate the sending of half a million 1.5 litre bottles of clean water to Gaza, Palestine..
“I am accused of bringing these migrants in. I didn’t have to, they all came themselves...
“I hope there won’t be any efforts to now ship them out as we did that once and they all came back,” he said after attending a Perdana Global Peace Foundation event to commemorate the sending of half a million 1.5 litre bottles of clean water to Gaza, Palestine..
'Opposition unprepared to rule'
Elaborating on his blog posting justifying the Sabah population boom, he said historically, the border between southern Philippines and then-British North Borneo was not well recognised.
“People used to go back and forth and so these are not foreigners but people who feel they are in a better position in Sabah and so stayed there for a long time,” he said.
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is due to be in Sabah tomorrow, and is speculated to announce the much-awaited terms of reference for the RCI on illegal migrants there.
Meanwhile, commenting on Pakatan Rakyat’s state-specific National Day themes, Mahathir said it only showed how unprepared the opposition is to rule the country.
“It shows they don’t know what they are doing... but that’s normal for the opposition,” he quipped.
“People used to go back and forth and so these are not foreigners but people who feel they are in a better position in Sabah and so stayed there for a long time,” he said.Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is due to be in Sabah tomorrow, and is speculated to announce the much-awaited terms of reference for the RCI on illegal migrants there.
Meanwhile, commenting on Pakatan Rakyat’s state-specific National Day themes, Mahathir said it only showed how unprepared the opposition is to rule the country.
“It shows they don’t know what they are doing... but that’s normal for the opposition,” he quipped.
maknanya Tun M telah gagal menyekat kedatangan PATI dan gagal mengusir mereka balik ke negara asal.. baik Tun M mengaku sahaja kesilapan dan kelemahan beliau daripada terus menerus cuba menegakkan benang yang basah..
ReplyDeleteBukan lagi gagal tetapi mungkin juga beliau sangat mengenali orang yang menjadi mastermind kepada peningkatan PATI di Sabah.
DeleteWhy he has to say in that way? We have feelings though. People won't simply blame if you have done the right thing.
Deletejika Tun M rasa masalah itu tidak mungkin dapat diselesaikan, eloklah dia berdiam diri saja dan biarkan kerajaan Najib sahaja yang menyelesaikan masalah ini.. sudah tentu Najib mempunyai cara beliau sendiri bagaimana mahu menyelesaikan masalah kebanjiran PATI dan projek IC ini..
ReplyDeleteRasanya Tun M ni memang banyak kerisauannya di Sabah..
DeleteApa yang Tun M buat selama beliau mennjadi PM? Kenapa baru sekarang nak sibuk kritik RCI??
Deletebaik Tun M bersara dgn baik. jgn keluarkan kenyataan yang mengguris hati rakyat.
DeleteHis ego has been scattered and the real reason behind it is because of the setting up of the RCI.
Deletewalau apapun kenyataan Tun M, saya harap Najib tidak sedikitpun terpengaruh.. teruskan saja dengan penubuhan RCI.. berjaya atau tidak, ia patut dipertimbangkan kemudian.. yang penting sekarang, adalah USAHA untuk menyelesaikan masalah ini..
ReplyDeleteNajib sudah menjanjikan pelaksanaan RCI. tidak mungkin ditarik balik semata2 kerana Tun M seorang sedangkan rakyat Sabah majoritinya menuntut penubuhan RCI ni.
DeleteTindakan Tun M yang mengkritik RCI ini seolah-olah menunjukkan yang beliau seperti mahu sembunyikan sesuatu.
DeleteThe people are smart enough to determine who's the main culprit behind all those things. At the same thing, kept in mind that only the government is able to make changes.
Deleteselepas pelaksanaan RCI, saya cadangkan supaya kerajaan dapat melaksanakan pendaftaran semula untuk semua rakyat Malaysia.. saya yakin bahawa rakyat malaysia tidak kisah dan akan bekerjasama sepenuhnya jika sekalipun terpaksa menyediakan semula dokumen2 sebagai bukti kewarganegaraan mereka.. hanya melalui cara ini, barulah kerajaan dapat mengesan sekaligus membatalkan kerakyatan songsang(IC palsu/Projek IC) di negara ini..
ReplyDeleteSepatutnya awal tahun 2012 ni rakyat akan membuat Mykad yang baru yang mempunyai ciri2 keselamatan yang lebih baik tapi ditangguhkan. mungkin lepas RCI ni lah akan dilaksanakan.
DeleteYa sokong.. Tapi macam mana tu aa, sa tak jumpa sudah sijil lahir saya.. huhuhu.. Hilang berserta dengan file yang berisi semu dokumen/sijil masa sekolah:(
DeleteMemang pengkhianat negara betul kepada mereka yang memberikan ic kepada PATI!
DeleteSiapa kata ini tidak berguna. Ini rasanya amat berguna untuk Sabah.
ReplyDeleteAdui, si Tun ini kan... Bagus dia diam-diam sajalah, kalau tak lain lagi isu yang timbul nanti.
ReplyDeleteBelum cuba belum tahu!
ReplyDeleteUnless maybe Mahathir has something to hide.
DeleteNo matter what RCI must be implemented.
ReplyDeleteBy hook or crook, the culprits must be caught and punished!
DeleteShow to him that we can and we always be.
DeleteRCI msti ditubuhkan, ia penting. tak perlu layan mahathir tu.
ReplyDeleteHe has lost the battle so he should shut up.
ReplyDeleteTruth to be told, Mahathir is just wasting his time to say negative things about RCI.
ReplyDelete