The Malaysian Insight

THERE is no need for a new royal commission of inquiry to look into illegal immigrants in Sabah, said de facto Law Minister Liew Vui Keong.

He said all reports and recommendations from the last royal commission have been submitted to the RCI technical committee and remain usable as they are still relevant.

“I was made to understand a report had been made but what happened to it, we don’t know. The report and investigation are quite recent,” he said.

“They can still be used and I hope the report would be brought up again to the government, through Parliament or state assembly, using the RCI report as reference.

“This includes whatever recommendations made to the technical committee, they can still be used to resolve the illegal migrant problem in Sabah, ” he said after passing Raya goodies to senior citizens in Batu Sapi, in the East Coast of Sabah.

The Batu Sapi MP said this after Parti Bersatu Sabah called for a second RCI to look into the issuance of papers to illegal immigrants

The six-member RCI on illegal immigrants in Sabah was led by former Sabah and Sarawak chief judge Steve Shim. It held its first hearing in January 14, 2013, and released its 366-page report nine months later.

More than 200 witnesses testified at the hearing, including Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Former deputy chief minister Joseph Pairin Kitigan was appointed to head the RCI technical committee in December 2014. The committe was tasked with gathering recommendations to resolve the illegal immigrant issue in Sabah.

But nothing had been forthcoming from the committee to date. – June 2, 2019.