SABAH RCI A former federal deputy minister has denied ever meeting former deputy home minister Megat Junid Megat Ayub in 1986 and receiving instructions about conducting ‘Project IC’, even though he was alleged to have met Megat Junid before.
Yahya Lampong (right), who also recently contested in the 13th general election as a PKR candidate, told the royal commission of inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants in Sabah that Megat Junid “was a gentleman” and that he was never involved in Project IC.
His name was implicated by one of RCI’s previous witnesses, Hassnar Ebrahim, who had said that he and Yahya met Megat Junid in 1986 and were briefed informally about Project IC.
“It’s not true, because when that (meeting) supposedly happened, I had already quit Parti Berjaya. It’s not true that I was planning to register new voters. I was not involved at all,” Yahya told the RCI.
His name was also implicated in a book written by the late MD Mutalib about Project IC and illegal immigrants being given citizenship in Sabah.
“I don’t believe Megat Junid (left) was involved in this. He was a gentleman,” he said.
However, Yahya refused to sue Hassnar for implicating his name when probed by the commission, claiming that Hassnar was not “trustworthy”.
“If he were a gentleman, I would sue him tomorrow,” he said.
Yahya Lampong (right), who also recently contested in the 13th general election as a PKR candidate, told the royal commission of inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants in Sabah that Megat Junid “was a gentleman” and that he was never involved in Project IC.His name was implicated by one of RCI’s previous witnesses, Hassnar Ebrahim, who had said that he and Yahya met Megat Junid in 1986 and were briefed informally about Project IC.
“It’s not true, because when that (meeting) supposedly happened, I had already quit Parti Berjaya. It’s not true that I was planning to register new voters. I was not involved at all,” Yahya told the RCI.
His name was also implicated in a book written by the late MD Mutalib about Project IC and illegal immigrants being given citizenship in Sabah.“I don’t believe Megat Junid (left) was involved in this. He was a gentleman,” he said.
However, Yahya refused to sue Hassnar for implicating his name when probed by the commission, claiming that Hassnar was not “trustworthy”.
“If he were a gentleman, I would sue him tomorrow,” he said.
Yahya was a former Parti Berjaya and United Sabah National Organisation (Usno) politician, who quit after the round of protests in Sabah in 1986.
He recently returned as PKR’s candidate for the Papar parliamentary seat in the 13th general election, but lost to his granddaughter Rosnah Abdul Shirlin, who stood under a BN ticket.
He was also formerly an MP for Kota Belud.
Throughout his testimony, Yahya claimed that he was unaware and was not involved in the supposed ‘Project IC’.
“I only heard about it before. The seriousness of it I only realised after the RCI was formed,” he said.
‘Project IC has a very small impact’
He said he was “too busy” doing his work as a civil servant to take the Project IC seriously, and believed that the registration of illegal immigrants as voters has a “minimal” impact on national politics.
“It’s a very small impact. Maybe a few seats. That’s all,” he said.
He said that Dr Chong Eng Leong, who had consistently made allegations about ‘Project IC’, should have sued the government.
“For years, the people who were making noise were just talking. You should have brought the government to justice if the issue is serious,” he said.
To this, chief commissioner Steve Shim Lip Kiong said that suing the government is not a viable option.
“The courts will be inundated with cases. This is a political issue, this must be settled out of court,” he said.
He recently returned as PKR’s candidate for the Papar parliamentary seat in the 13th general election, but lost to his granddaughter Rosnah Abdul Shirlin, who stood under a BN ticket.
He was also formerly an MP for Kota Belud.
Throughout his testimony, Yahya claimed that he was unaware and was not involved in the supposed ‘Project IC’.
“I only heard about it before. The seriousness of it I only realised after the RCI was formed,” he said.
‘Project IC has a very small impact’
He said he was “too busy” doing his work as a civil servant to take the Project IC seriously, and believed that the registration of illegal immigrants as voters has a “minimal” impact on national politics.
“It’s a very small impact. Maybe a few seats. That’s all,” he said.
He said that Dr Chong Eng Leong, who had consistently made allegations about ‘Project IC’, should have sued the government.
“For years, the people who were making noise were just talking. You should have brought the government to justice if the issue is serious,” he said.
To this, chief commissioner Steve Shim Lip Kiong said that suing the government is not a viable option.
“The courts will be inundated with cases. This is a political issue, this must be settled out of court,” he said.
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