Anwar to name 3 individuals involved in Sabah’s “Project IC”

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will testify before the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) probing the issuance of dubious ICs in Sabah next month where he will name three individuals responsible for "Project IC".

The Opposition Leader was today questioned on what he knew, and his role, in the controversial project during an interview session with the RCI investigating officer Supt Zainuddin Ismail behind closed doors at the PKR headquarters in Petaling Jaya.

Among others, Anwar was questioned on who else was involved in "Project IC" and what was the policy on the issue at that time.

Anwar left without speaking to reporters after the interview session but PKR Legal Bureau and Human Rights chief Latheefa Koya (pic) told reporters that the Opposition Leader will go before the five-man RCI panel in Kota Kinabalu next month to repeat what he told the investigation officer today.

She said Anwar will go to Sabah and expand on what he said because one of the interesting questions he was asked is what is his recommendation to resolve the problem of illegal immigrants there.

"Project IC which started much much earlier during the time of Tun Abdul Razak had gone on and continued until when Anwar was the deputy prime minister."

The RCI team is keen to know about Anwar's role and involvement in the project.

The BN government, which has controlled Sabah since 1963, has been accused of issuing citizenship and ICs to hundreds of thousands of foreigners in exchange for their votes during elections.

"This is not a preliminary meeting, this is an investigation to find out how much he knows, how much is his involvement before he is called in at the RCI. He has answered," Latheefa told reporters.

"He was also asked if he was directly involved and who was the person actually involved with regards to the issuance of the ICs.

"Briefly he has explained his role but some of the questions need further documentation which we will bring if we can because some may involve the Official Secrets Act."

She explained that in the past, Anwar had denied his involvement in "Project IC", but he had named three individuals who he alleged were involved.

Last month, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman informed the five-man RCI panel, through his lawyer, that he was not involved in "Project IC".

This came about after a witness, former senator and state assemblyman Dr Chong Eng Leong, told the RCI that Musa chaired the "Project IC" taskforce in 1991 which was designed to register foreigners as Umno members after giving them citizenship.

Yesterday, Anwar said he was prepared to give full cooperation to the RCI panel in the interest of all parties, adding that his evidence revolves around only on what he knew during his tenure as deputy prime minister and finance minister.

The RCI, which began in January, is investigating claims that citizenship was given to illegal immigrants in Sabah during former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's administration.