SABAH RCI PANEL VISITS PM

PUTRAJAYA : Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today received a courtesy call from the chairman and members of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to tackle the problem of illegal immigrants in Sabah at his office at the Perdana Putra Building, here.

Those present were the chairman of the commission, former Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Steve Shim Lip Kiong, and secretary of the RCI, Datuk Saripuddin Kasim who is also the secretary-general of the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism.

The others were former Universiti Malaysia Sabah vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Kamaruzaman Ampon, former chief judge of Sabah, Tan Sri Herman Luping, former state secretary Datuk KY Mustafa and the Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation deputy chairman, who was also former Kuala Lumpur Police Chief, Datuk Henry Chin Poy Wu.

At the event, the prime minister handed over the instruments of appointment to them, witnessed by the Chief Secretary to the Government, Datuk Seri Dr Ali Hamsa, before continuing with the meeting lasting about half-an-hour beginning at 5pm.

The commission was given a six-month deadline to complete investigations on the exodus of illegal immigrants to the state.

Meanwhile, Shim said that at the meeting, they briefed the prime minister on what they were doing.

“I think the prime minister has voiced his opinion and we have taken notes of his views,” he told reporters after the meeting.

Shim said the RCI had already started investigation of certain cases and at the moment they were not facing any problem in carrying out investigation.

“We have a team of very efficient officers to investigate. Once we have concluded the investigation, we will proceed with hearing the witnesses properly,” he added.

Asked whether they could submit the report within the six-month period, he said they would try their best.

“But of course under the provision we can ask for extension if it can’t be completed,” he said. (Bernama)