Anwar Ibrahim continues to deny any role in Project IC in Sabah, saying this matter was never brought to the cabinet, and neither did he attend or chair any meeting on it.
The opposition leader also alleged that the project to grant blue identity cards to immigrants did not end in the 1990s and that it continued during the reign of former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and went on until last year, covering Najib Abdul Razak's reign as well.
The opposition leader also alleged that the project to grant blue identity cards to immigrants did not end in the 1990s and that it continued during the reign of former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and went on until last year, covering Najib Abdul Razak's reign as well.
“You can ask the then cabinet ministers... the Project IC task force report was never brought to or discussed by the cabinet.
“There are no minutes to show I attended such task force meetings, and there was no report on this presented to me as finance minister and the deputy prime minister.
"This task force was handled by the then PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his right-hand man Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin (Mahathir's political secretary then) and the late Megat Junid Megat Ayub (who was deputy home minister at that time)," Anwar (left) said.
The Permatang Pauh MP said the task force continued under Abdullah and Najib's time until last year and he believes they, as prime ministers, headed the Project IC task force.
He said this when asked about the claim by Mahathir yesterday that Anwar was involved in Project IC.
The Permatang Pauh MP said the task force continued under Abdullah and Najib's time until last year and he believes they, as prime ministers, headed the Project IC task force.
He said this when asked about the claim by Mahathir yesterday that Anwar was involved in Project IC.
Mahathir had said while he may not have evidence implicating Anwar, his former deputy “had a hand in it” and that what took place may have included illegal actions and abuse of processes.
The former PM added that while he may not have evidence that could be adduced in court, he "has knowledge" of the possible wrongdoings by Anwar.
The former PM added that while he may not have evidence that could be adduced in court, he "has knowledge" of the possible wrongdoings by Anwar.
Can Mahathir deny responsibility?
The PKR de facto leader, who was deputy prime minister under Mahathir, went on to reiterate that he was willing to testify before the royal commission of inquiry on immigrants in Sabah if called to do so.
The PKR de facto leader, who was deputy prime minister under Mahathir, went on to reiterate that he was willing to testify before the royal commission of inquiry on immigrants in Sabah if called to do so.
Earlier, Anwar joked on the issue, asking why the press wanted to question him on Mahathir's comments as it was something obsolete, and why in the presence of the Hamas representatives.
Anwar then asked whether Mahathir would deny forming the Project IC task force.
“He appointed Abdul Aziz and Megat Junid and all the reports were handed directly to him (Mahathir). This is something Mahathir must answer,” he said.
In the ongoing royal commission of inquiry on immgrants in Kota Kinabalu so far, Abdul Aziz and Megat Junid have been linked to the Project IC by former Sabah National Registration Department officer Yakup Damsah, who said he had stayed in Abdul Aziz's house during one operation.
Former Sabah NRD director, Ramli Kamaruddin, also said the NRD officers were given orders by Megat Junid and that the operation began close to the Sabah election.
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/219109
If Anwar was involved, it would have been “Project A'
In a statement this afternoon, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang questioned when Mahathir discovered that Anwar was supposedly the real mastermind of 'Project M' (also called Project IC).
Lim said it clearly would not have been on Jan 16 this year, when witnesses at the Sabah RCI implicated Mahathir's closest confidantes Abdul Aziz and Megat Junid in the issue of hundreds of thousands of fake blue identity cards and false letters of approval for birth certificates to immigrants in exchange for votes for the ruling party.
“It was only on Jan 31 (yesterday) that Mahathir suddenly announced that Anwar was the real mastermind of 'Project M', responsible for the “citizenship-for-votes” scam in Sabah, although admitting to having no proof to back his claim.
“How can Mahathir credibly claim that 'Project M' might have happened 'without any knowledge and orders from the top' when he had openly admitted to its existence and owned up to its authorship on Jan 17, when he had falsely alleged that our Bapa Kemederkaan (Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra) had issued citizenship to one million unqualified non-Malays before Merdeka,” Lim asked.
He said Mahathir had no credibility in blaming Anwar for masterminding 'Project M' when the two key personalities of the scam were the former prime minister's right-hand men.
“Who would have doubted that if Anwar was the real mastermind of the scam, Mahathir would have charged his former deputy in court, or openly accused him of high treason in his efforts of over a decade to kill off Anwar’s political prospects? And not to forget or overlook it for 15 years, only to suddenly remember or discover yesterday that it was Anwar, and not him, who was behind it?
“In fact, if Anwar had been the real mastermind of the 'citizenship-for-votes' scam in Sabah, it would have been known as 'Project A' instead of 'Project M'. What Malaysians are seeing is the Machiavellian Mahathir in full form,” he said..
Lim added that Sabahans and Peninsular Malaysians want to see Anwar, Najib and the other two former prime ministers, Mahathir and Abdullah, testify before the RCI.
Anwar then asked whether Mahathir would deny forming the Project IC task force.
“He appointed Abdul Aziz and Megat Junid and all the reports were handed directly to him (Mahathir). This is something Mahathir must answer,” he said.
In the ongoing royal commission of inquiry on immgrants in Kota Kinabalu so far, Abdul Aziz and Megat Junid have been linked to the Project IC by former Sabah National Registration Department officer Yakup Damsah, who said he had stayed in Abdul Aziz's house during one operation.
Former Sabah NRD director, Ramli Kamaruddin, also said the NRD officers were given orders by Megat Junid and that the operation began close to the Sabah election.
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/219109
If Anwar was involved, it would have been “Project A'
In a statement this afternoon, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang questioned when Mahathir discovered that Anwar was supposedly the real mastermind of 'Project M' (also called Project IC).
Lim said it clearly would not have been on Jan 16 this year, when witnesses at the Sabah RCI implicated Mahathir's closest confidantes Abdul Aziz and Megat Junid in the issue of hundreds of thousands of fake blue identity cards and false letters of approval for birth certificates to immigrants in exchange for votes for the ruling party.
“It was only on Jan 31 (yesterday) that Mahathir suddenly announced that Anwar was the real mastermind of 'Project M', responsible for the “citizenship-for-votes” scam in Sabah, although admitting to having no proof to back his claim.
“How can Mahathir credibly claim that 'Project M' might have happened 'without any knowledge and orders from the top' when he had openly admitted to its existence and owned up to its authorship on Jan 17, when he had falsely alleged that our Bapa Kemederkaan (Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra) had issued citizenship to one million unqualified non-Malays before Merdeka,” Lim asked.
He said Mahathir had no credibility in blaming Anwar for masterminding 'Project M' when the two key personalities of the scam were the former prime minister's right-hand men.
“Who would have doubted that if Anwar was the real mastermind of the scam, Mahathir would have charged his former deputy in court, or openly accused him of high treason in his efforts of over a decade to kill off Anwar’s political prospects? And not to forget or overlook it for 15 years, only to suddenly remember or discover yesterday that it was Anwar, and not him, who was behind it?
“In fact, if Anwar had been the real mastermind of the 'citizenship-for-votes' scam in Sabah, it would have been known as 'Project A' instead of 'Project M'. What Malaysians are seeing is the Machiavellian Mahathir in full form,” he said..
Lim added that Sabahans and Peninsular Malaysians want to see Anwar, Najib and the other two former prime ministers, Mahathir and Abdullah, testify before the RCI.
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