DAP Sabah organised a forum last night entitled "Hopes for Sabah OR Cries of Sabah". The "Cries of Sabah" came from the title of Lim Kit Siang's book.
The usual vocal personalites on the Sabah RCI issues were invited, including Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan and Dato Wilfred Bumburiang. Priot to the event, DAP Sabah invited BN's PBS President, Datuk Pairin Kitingan and UMNO's Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan. [Read Daily Express here].
The intention to politicise the recently released RCI report is clear. DAP Sabah invited Pairin as the "victim" to the claimed Projek IC that saw him lost power and appointed as Chairman-designate of the Management Committee on the RCI matter. While, Rahman Dahlan was invitited to be vilified as 'noted apologist for Putrajaya" [read FMT here].
The politicising was only expected when Jeffrey called on the UMNO-led BN government at state and federal level as illegal government [read MI here].
However, there was an interesting twist last night when one of the speakers questioned the politicising of the RCI issue by both party; government and opposition and ask that it be looked as a national problem.
He blasted them for focusing their reactions on the Report of the Royal Commission of Enquiry on Illegal Immigrants in Sabah or RCI Report and making fruitless police reports.
Zainnal said the illegal immigrant problem is not only restricted to Sabah so the attitude must be to look at it as a national problem.
The Semenanjung side is facing the same problem with the Cameron Highlands incident as the tip of the iceberg. While, Sarawak is in the process of creating its own illegal immigrant problem.
Zainnal questioned the overzealousness of all parties in being the first to make a police report. After the RCI report was released, one party made a police report.
Before that, it was PBS. Zainnal said “Actually during the recent PBS Congress, the Prime Minister already offered Tan Sri Joseph Pairin the means to get this done – but instead of start cracking to establish the necessary mechanism and getting the necessary powers and authority– PBS went to make a Police Report.
"They are more interested to get cheap publicity, instead working to seek solutions – They are more interested to carry out a political event rather than making sure a solid process is established."
Zainnal highlighted that the police is not in a position to act on a report based on a royal command and to investigate both Commissioners and witnesses given immunity under Act 119, Section 21.
It shows the lawmakers making the police reports are ignorant of the law.
Zainnal said, "To be honest, the Police reports that they are making are the same as they have already accepted the RCI Report and that they are making the Police reports because they are not satisfied with only some parts of the report."
Instead of making police reports, he insist on going over the 5,000 pages Commission’s transcripts.
Zainnal reminded Pairin that the offer was made not to the President of PBS but to a Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah for the reason that the problem of illegal immigrants is a Sabah problem and not a PBS problem.
He suggested that the body be established to solve the problem should be empowered to enforce, prosecure and arrest such as the various authorities under Home Ministry and able to develop strategies and seek solutions.
Sabah can be the subject expert in helping deal with the nationwide problems of illegal immigrants.