Jeffrey: Tell RCI the truth, Anwar

The Sabah strongman says Anwar, being the second most
powerful leader in Umno then, could not have been
ignorant of what was happening in Sabah.

PETALING JAYA: Sabah’s veteran politician Jeffrey Kitingan today expressed hope that Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim would “tell the truth” if he ends up testifying in the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) probing the “Project IC” in Sabah.

“I am glad he has said that he has no problem in testifying in the RCI probing into citizenship granted to immigrants in Sabah.

“However I do hope he would tell the truth about his own role in the citizenship fiasco,” Jeffrey told FMT today.

“From what I know, he was indeed in charge of Sabah [for Umno]. He was the director of operations and was involved actively in the citizenship project,” he added.

“I am very sure he was in the know of what was happening in Sabah at that time.”

Earlier today, Anwar told reporters that he was ready to testify at the RCI but quickly added that he was also in the dark about the project.

“I have no problem whatsoever. I knew for a long time the project was under the prime minister, that it did not involve a Cabinet process, so it is the full responsibility of the prime minister and finance minister.

“When I was there, even I was not briefed on the issue [of providing citizenship to immigrants],” Anwar said.

He also said that the RCI had not summoned him because “they know I have nothing to do with it”.

Yesterday, Sabah Umno liaison deputy chief Salleh Said Keruak had challenged Anwar to tell the truth about the illegal immigrants to the RCI tasked with looking into the long-standing problem in the state.

He said that Anwar was duty-bound to do so as he was deputy prime minister at that particular period, adding that “he was a powerful man and knew what was going on in Sabah”.

In recent weeks, various quarters have asked for both former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar to be summoned by the RCI to testify on the citizenship-for-vote issue.

‘He can’t be ignorant’

Jeffery, who is also the head of Sabah STAR, said that Umno was involved in so many activities in Sabah at that time in order to gain influence, and to form the state government.

“They were playing with the voters’ list. They were changing voters from one constituency to another in order to win, and of course mobilising foreigners to become citizens and become their voters,” he said.

“I am sure Anwar, being the second most powerful Umno leader at that period, would not have been ignorant of what the then prime minister and Umno were doing to win at all costs in Sabah,” he said.

“As I said, he knows more about the citizenship project than many others and if he is indeed called up to testify at the RCI, I sincerely hope he would tell the truth,” he said.

He added that was the best Anwar, as the leader of the opposition, could do for Sabahans after all the years of them being manipulated by the federal government.