PAS information chief Datuk Mahfuz Omar says a royal commission of inquiry is urgently needed to look into allegations that syndicates are selling 'express citizenships' to foreigners. – The Malaysian Insider pic, July 9, 2014.
While Putrajaya continues to withhold information on the royal commission of inquiry report on illegal immigrants in Sabah, a PAS leader said there is an urgent need to set up an RCI to look into nationwide syndicates allegedly selling “express citizenship” to foreigners.
“In Sabah, they have yet to release the RCI report. And even from before the general election, Pakatan Rakyat had asked for this RCI to be extended to the peninsula,” PAS information chief Datuk Mahfuz Omar said today.
“So I am demanding that another RCI be set up immediately, in light of news reports that this syndicate is widespread not just in Sabah and Sarawak, but all of Malaysia.”
He said the RCI was urgently needed, given the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) suspicions that government agencies were also involved in the syndicate.
Malay daily Berita Harian had reported last week that these syndicates offered packages to illegal immigrants with the costs ranging from RM5,000 for a single birth certificate to RM150,000, which will get the client all the documents needed to become a Malaysian.
The syndicate is believed to be buying Malaysians’ personal data, and is using the information to obtain documents for the illegal immigrants.
Over the past 46 months, 1.8 million MyKads have been reported missing, according to Berita Harian. MyKads are being sold to illegal immigrants at RM15,000 each.
The RCI on Sabah, meanwhile, was submitted to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong two months ago and has yet to be released to the public.
Mahfuz pointed out that the illegal immigrants who obtained "express citizenship" were also given the right to vote, raising concerns over the integrity of the electoral roll.
"In April 2012, I already submitted a memorandum requesting that the royal commission look into the granting of citizenship to illegal immigrants.
"Now it is 2014, the general election is over, so the government does not have to be afraid or worried," added Mahfuz.
He said the influx of illegal immigrants gaining citizenship could threaten the country's sovereignty, as they could not understand the constitution or the monarchy.
The Commission in Sabah, which was set up on September 21, 2012, called 211 witnesses in the proceedings which ended on Septemer 20 last year.
Among the notable witnesses were former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and former chief ministers of Sabah, including Datuk Harris Salleh and Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan.
Najib had announced on June 1, 2012, that Putrajaya had agreed to set up the RCI to investigate problems related to illegal immigrants in Sabah, including the issuance of Malaysian documents to Muslim illegal immigrants under a scheme known as Project IC.
- TMI
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