EC chief: No comment for now on RCI proceedings

The Election Commission (EC) will not comment on the proceedings of the royal commission of inquiry (RCI) on immigrants in Sabah until it is concluded.

EC chairperson Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said he has been given legal advice that doing otherwise would be in contempt of the RCI proceedings.

"The EC will be called before the RCI sometime in February, so it is not proper for me to comment on the proceedings (while ongoing). It will be contempt of court.

"Let the RCI do its work until the end and (disclose) the findings. Then, I think, it is proper for the EC to respond," Abdul Aziz said when contacted by telephone today.

He also noted that close to 200 witnesses would be called to testify before the RCI.

Nevertheless, Abdul Aziz said, the EC was currently registering voters in accordance with due process, unlike what had allegedly taken place more than 20 years ago.

The inquiry, now into its fourth day, was told by senior Sabah National Registration Department (NRD) officers that they were instructed to facilitate immigrants to vote in the state elections in the 1990s.

The former officers, who were involved in the operation, testified yesterday that they provided immigrants with identity card receipts of existing voters or blue identity cards to unqualified immigrants so that they could be registered as voters.

The EC deputy chief Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, when contacted, also declined to comment on the revelations for fear it may upset the ongoing RCI proceedings.

"My stand is clear, the RCI is now being heard and I cannot make any comments on the revelations made, or any matter related to the ongoing hearing. It is improper for me to comment, as EC may be called," he said.

He also refused to divulge details on whether he would be called into RCI.