Anifah claims law says ‘no’ to Sabah royal panel

Anifah claims law says ‘no’ to Sabah royal panel
By Leslie Lau

(Malaysian Insider) KOTA KINABALU, June 6 — Sabah Barisan Nasional Parliamentary Backbenchers Club chairman Datuk Anifah Aman wants an end to the protracted debate over an opposition campaign to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry on illegal immigrants in the state and the so-called “Project IC,” which allegedly saw unspecified numbers of foreigners given identity cards.

“The law does not allow a commission to be formed in Sabah. Lim Kit Siang should check his facts,” he said.

Anifah, who has turned himself into a maverick championing the interests of Sabah in Umno, was referring to the DAP leader’s failed attempt recently to table a motion to call for a royal commission of inquiry.

There was widespread speculation that many Sabah BN MPs were prepared to support Lim’s motion in defiance of the BN whip.

There are some legislators who are believed to be still in support of the call for a royal commission of inquiry to be set up.

Lim, in a recent post on his blog, indicated he intends to continue pushing his agenda of wanting the government to form a royal commission of inquiry.

When Parliament reconvenes on June 23, Lim said he intends to ask Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi why the government was not willing to set up the panel.

For now, Anifah has the answer to that question.

A royal commission of inquiry may be set up to investigate any matter, he said, except for issues related to Islam and Malay custom, or anything to do with Sabah and Sarawak.

Such a panel, he said, also lacks any teeth because its findings are not binding.

He said the government should go ahead with its plans, as announced recently by Abdullah, to set up a Cabinet committee on illegal immigrants to be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Anifah said he was also in favour of having a Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate the problem because Sabah leaders could be involved directly in the panel.

State government estimates show that there are up to 500,000 illegal immigrants in the state.

There is also widespread suspicion that an unspecified number of foreigners were granted citizenship through the manoeuvrings of certain political leaders who wanted to dilute the support of their rivals in the state.

The alleged programme to grant citizenship to foreigners is known as “Project IC.”