Dr M admits citizenships given out in Sabah, says nothing illegal

By Ida Lim
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 17, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today admitted that citizenships were given to foreigners in Sabah, but stressed that it was “within the law”.

The former prime minister was asked to comment on the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Sabah’s illegal immigrants issue.

“When I was prime minister, I was in power to determine the implementation of government policies.

“The government received foreigners to be citizens if (they) fulfilled certain conditions, furthermore those who are there are not one, two days but already 20 to 30 years and they speak in Bahasa Melayu, have the right to be Malaysians,” Dr Mahathir (picture) said at a press conference here.

“So the problem is when there are people who are tidak senang (unhappy) when there are some who become Malaysians although those individuals have already long resided in Malaysia, that is what causes problems.”

Throughout the press conference, he repeatedly stressed that the giving of citizenships to foreigners was “within the law”.

“I never deny it were given. What I deny is that I did something against the law, that I will deny.”

When asked if he was saying that the Project IC was lawful, he said: “Yes, it is lawful.”

Earlier in the press conference, Dr Mahathir was asked if the handing out of citizenships to foreigners was politically-motivated and to enable Umno to take over Sabah.

He replied: “I mean that is their right. Once they become citizens, whether they support Umno, Barisan Nasional, that is their business.”

“We know for a fact that not all of them are supporters of Barisan Nasional,” he added.

He also reminded reporters of the country’s first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, claiming that he gave out citizenships to those who were unqualified to receive it.

“One should also look back and remember that Tunku Abdul Rahman was worse than me, he gave one million citizenships to people who are not qualified and not even tested?”

“Why is it when he does it, it is not wrong, and when I do it, it’s wrong?” he asked.

Dr Mahathir, the country’s longest serving prime minister who was in power from 1981 to 2003, has been accused of spearheading the so-called “Project IC”, in which citizenships were allegedly given to immigrants in exchange for their votes.

But former Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Salleh, who administered the state from 1976 to 1985, denied on Tuesday the existence of “Project IC”.

Yesterday, the late former deputy home affairs minister Tan Sri Megat Junid Megat Ayub was accused of ordering the National Registration Department (NRD)’s Sabah branch to issue temporary documents to allow immigrants to vote in a 1994 state election.

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19 Replies to “Dr M admits citizenships given out in Sabah, says nothing illegal”

  1. Listen! Listen! Listen! Dr. M, the RCI already revealed IT COULD NOT BE LEGAL – no real documentation, no real process was followed..

    Seriously, when we have Mahathir, how can we pick on Sharifah Zohra..She got the disease from him…

    Its criminal hate – subversive to the state and people of Sabah and its treason..

  2. “Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today admitted that citizenships were given to foreigners in Sabah, but stressed that it was “within the law””
    ——————–
    This is very serious!
    Did Mahathir then PM,made this known to the Parliament, debated & action passed through voting in the house?

    Was our Agong notified?

    Or he simply acted as if he is the ultimate ’emperor’ of the land, he fixed the Civil Service, he fixed the Judiciary (the law), he fixed the Police & he even fixed the Sultans???

  3. Since he finally admits he did it hence just list out what he did wrong and booked him !
    IS SUCH A DISGRACE/BAD-LUCK-F TO HAVE SUCH A ‘PM’-EX WHO PLAY DUMB WHAT’S WRONG !!!
    NEXT AM SURE HE’LL SAY AT LEAST HE NO C4 A HELPLESS (PREGNANT) GIRL, REAL PARIAH !

  4. ///“The government received foreigners to be citizens if (they) fulfilled certain conditions, furthermore those who are there are not one, two days but already 20 to 30 years and they speak in Bahasa Melayu, have the right to be Malaysians,” Dr Mahathir (picture) said at a press conference here.///–MalaysianInsider

    There are 40,000 Indians born in this country decades ago but they are still red-IC holders. have their not the privilege to get citizenship.

    Who gives the foreigners the right to be citizen just because they are Muslims? Had they applied for the status and whether they had gone through the test as Mamakthir claimed that they spoke Malays?

    Mamakthir acted outside the law, and he has to answer for his action.

  5. Just like that these illegals get citizenship. While many Chinese and Indians have to wait 50, 60, 70 years and some even die without it.

    Just like that – with the stroke of a pen an illegal is legalised and given citizenship.

    Justice Mahathir’s style.

  6. NONE OF THOSE WHO GOT IT ARE RESIDENTS OF SABAH – SHIP THEM TO MAHATHIR’S HOUSE and make their neighbours of UMNO’s stronghold like Melaka, Johor, Pahang, – let see how they like them…

  7. TDM said one of the criteria to give illegal immigrants citizenship because they could speak Bahasa Malaysia. But one of them when asked “adakah anda masih ada saudara mara di Philippines”? and he answered “marah??? tidak saya tidak marah Philippine”!!! TDM don’t insult us!!!

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