Polls panel wants RCI on foreign voters in Sabah

The so-called "Project IC" was alleged to have taken place during Dr Mahathir's tenure. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 — The parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms called today for a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to look into allegations that foreigners were given the right to vote in Sabah.

A preliminary report tabled in Parliament by the panel today said although the matter was outside its terms of reference, "this committee recommends a RCI be set up as a long term solution."

"The committee notes the requests and calls from various parties during the public hearing in Kota Kinabalu for a RCI to be set up to investigate the allegations that foreigners have obtained citizenship and are involved in being registered as voters in Sabah," it said in the report that outlined recommendations in 10 different areas.

Various parties have claimed that an Umno-sanctioned programme during Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's administration gave citizenships to foreigners in the 1990s to help Barisan Nasional (BN) take back the state government.

The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), whose president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee was a former chief minister, has said the state's overall population has increased by a "ridiculous" 390 per cent over the past 40 years as compared to Malaysia's overall population increase of 165 per cent.

The polls panel also recommended "the Election Commission (EC) recertify the electoral roll in Sabah" after "allegations that the electoral roll contains names that have no reason to be qualified as voters."

Several government officers were arrested in the 1990s under the Internal Security Act for their involvements in the so-called "Project IC".

A parliamentary select committee on Integrity was also set up to hear testimonies of some of the detainees in February 2007.

The committee was chaired by Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, president of a Sabah-based BN component.

But Dompok quit as chairman of the committee three months later over disagreements on the function and scope of the committee, in particular, over the refusal of the National Registration Department to appear before the committee.

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