Harris: Pairin should withdraw ‘wild’ statements

Former Sabah Chief Minister wants the Huguan Siou to withdraw the wild statements made by witnesses during the RCI hearings in Sabah on illegal immigrants.

KOTA KINABALU: Former Sabah Chief Minister Harris Salleh, clearly steaming over statements allegedly made during the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) hearings in the Sabah capital, wants Huguan Siou Joseph Pairin Kitingan to help rectify the situation.

He suggested in an Open Letter that Pairin, who chairs the Technical Committee on the RCI Report as Deputy Chief Minister, recall the witnesses who had alleged during the RCI hearings that “Projek IC” or “Projek IC Mahathir” existed in Sabah.

“Tan Sri (Pairin), in order to clear once and for all, as to the truth of these wild statements made by witnesses who were sworn to tell the truth, it’s very important that your Committee recall them and ask them to produce evidence and proof of their statements,” said Harris in his Open Letter. “If they cannot provide them, they have committed perjury.”

“Your Committee should then recommend that action be taken against them for perjury.”

He pointed out that based on press reports, the RCI apparently did not make any recommendations nor point out any wrongdoing or irregularities on the illegal immigrant phenomenon in Sabah.

“It seems that the RCI simply listened to anyone who appeared before it just for the sake of making statements,” said Harris. “Therefore, a large number of the statements to the RCI that were included in its Report were wild.”

Harris reiterated that the witnesses were all required to take an oath before the RCI which had the same power as a Court. “Unfortunately, the RCI did not follow the procedure in Court which requires proof of claims and statements made,” lamented Harris. “The wild statements in the RCI Report, quoted from time to time by leaders, were frightening the people and were dangerous.”

The majority of the people, warned Harris, took the statements for granted since they were included in the RCI Report. “They assume that these statements are true although no proof or evidence were produced during the RCI hearings to back them up.”

Harris, in his Open Letter, went on to vilify several witnesses who had appeared before the RCI.

Among others, he criticized an “ex-banker” who claimed that he not only masterminded “Projek IC” on behalf of then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad but in fact was the person who came up with the idea, former Umno member Hassanar Ebrahim from Sandakan who implicated then Deputy Home Affairs Minister Megat Junid, and anti-illegal immigration activist Dr. Chong Eng Leong who penned a book, “Lest We Forget – Issues of Sovereignty and Security In Sabah”.