Daily Express News, 31 January 2008
Kota Kinabalu: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) urged the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) to intensify its investigations on the selling of Identity Cards (IC) to foreigners in Sabah.
In a joint statement, Kanul Gindol, the political secretary to PKR Vice President Datuk Dr Jeffery Kitingan and Muada Joe Ojihi, the party’s coordinator for Matunggong claimed the recent arrest of a National Registration Department (NRD) officer in connection with such selling was proof enough that it could not be the work of one person alone.
They claimed that a coordinated syndicate within the State’s NRD and in Kuala Lumpur existed to procure all the necessary documents and tools to produce these ICs for foreigners.
They also claimed that one reason why the ICs are being sold at very high prices was because there is an enlarged link in the syndicate.
“(Therefore) ACA should investigate NRD staff who live beyond their salaries, some are even said to be living in palatial homes and driving expensive cars,” they said.
They also questioned the Government’s reluctance to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry to look into the issuance of ICs to foreigners, an offence which both said was tantamount to committing treason.
“Only a PKR government could and would establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry on the matter and for that Sabahans must give PKR the chance,” they said.