Not this time, Mahathir

By Singa Terhormat

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Mahathir is well-known, when he is on the defensive, to adopt the strategy of distracting people from the real issues at hand and hoping no one will notice.

Recently when evidence was adduced that there was extensive gerrymandering in the electoral rolls in Sabah by having, amongst others, Filipino and Indonesian migrants registered as voters, Mahathir’s response was reported as:

“One should also look back and remember that Tunku Abdul Rahman was worse than me, he gave one million to citizenships to people who are not qualified and not even tested”.

“Why is it when he does it, it is not wrong, and when I do it, it’s wrong?”

He is reported to have also said that everything was above board. He said:

“Malaysia accepts foreigners to become citizens provided that they meet certain conditions. 

“Many of them in Sabah were not there for a day or two, but 20 or 30 years and can speak Malay. They have the right to be citizens.”

It is reported that when someone pointed out that the operation took place just two weeks before the 1994 state election, Mahathir said:

“Whether that is coincidental or deliberate, I wouldn’t know, but it is within the law.

”That it happened just before the election does not mean it is against the law.”

Now what was the evidence adduced during the Royal Commission of Inquiry? Let us re-visit what was reported.

Malaysiakini on 16^th January, 2013 reported:

 “Former Sabah National Registration Department (NRD) chief Ramli Kamarudin is reported to admit that his agency was involved in making it possible for Indonesians and Filipinos to vote in the 1994 Sabah state election, but denied that they were made citizens. This, he explained, was because the immigrants were not issued identity card receipts in their name, but instead were issued receipts using the names and identity card numbers from people already in the electoral roll who never voted before, or are dead.
The receipts are temporary identity card slips, issued prior to the granting of a proper identity card. This document is sufficient to allow for voting.

”But because the receipts are not in their name, they cannot go to the NRD and later convert them to a blue identity card.

”Furthermore, the slips also have an expiry date of three months,” he told the royal commission on inquiry (RCI) of the immigrants in Sabah.

He added that after the state election, measures were also taken to gather all the receipts and destroy them.

”During election day, we gathered them in one place and then used buses to send them to vote.”

Non-citizens voting in our elections is above board, Mahathir?

Did Tunku Abdul Rahman carry out such a scam, Mahathir?

It is within the law, you say?

What else was adduced as evidence?

On the same day Malaysiakini reports that Mohd Nasir Sugip a former Sabah National Registration Department (NRD) officer testified that his department had once taken instructions from the state Election Commission (EC) to provide unqualified immigrants with identity card numbers so that they could vote in the election.

Do you notice the words “unqualified immigrants” used, Mahathir?

Mohd Nasir Sugip is reported to have said that “the operation involved providing the immigrants with new identity card numbers based on the date of birth, photographs and names provided by the EC.”

Also that “the names were changed, IC numbers were changed, date of birth was changed… and their pictures,”.

Based on date of birth, photographs and names provided by the EC?

They had immigrants posing as persons who were already on the electoral rolls?

They had imposters voting as registered voters.

Above board and legal you say, Mahathir?

And your right-hand men, Megat Junid and Aziz Shamsuddin were involved in the exercise, Mahathir?

Would they dare act independently of you in such an exercise?

You have much to answer for Mahathir.

Do not imagine you can get away with what you have done by dishonorably trying to equate what has been done with the granting of citizenship at Independence.

There was no citizenship granted to persons using the names of dead citizens, for one.

There was no citizenship granted using the dates of birth, photographs and names of others.

What was done in Sabah as recounted was illegal.

What was done was high treason.

And please, do not try to justify what was done to a Muslim audience by stating that all this was done to defeat the PBS Government so as to have a government that would be in favour to the Islam religion in Sabah.

Allah swt and the Prophet (pbuh) would never have condoned that.

That is not their way.

Islam does not condone cheating.

Surah An-Nisa, Verse 135 of the Holy Qur’an reads:

 “O ye who believe! stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts) lest ye swerve and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.”

The Prophet’s way would have been to spread the teachings of Islam in the hope that they would convert and then leave the rest to the Almighty. What was done is a disservice to Islam and insults Islam and Muslims.

And please too do not try to offer the excuse that these witnesses were once under the ISA and therefore untrustworthy witnesses.

I suspect that they were detained under the ISA to keep them quiet.

Sure, they committed illegal acts, but then they should have been charged in Court and not detained under the ISA.

And if by detention under the ISA one’s credibility is destroyed, then what the hell are you doing with the likes of Katak Ali?

No Mahathir, you have to answer to the evidence adduced not by trying to equate it with the granting of citizenship during Independence.

Wishful thinking on my part, but maybe, just maybe, if Pakatan wins the elections, a special RCI can be held to determine whether Mahathir’s ancestors merited citizenship and then perhaps we can ship him off to Kerala.

No, Mahathir, you do not get away so cheaply this time. What is involved here is high treason and you have to answer. Remember too that “verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.”

- The People's Parliament