Tanduo Terrorism Trial Confirms Sabah Security Problem Self-Inflicted by Federal

Kota Kinabalu:    “The evidence unearthed at the on-going Tanduo terrorism trial not only corroborate with the findings of the RCI Report but shows that the Sabah security problem is self-inflicted by the federal government in giving ICs and MyKads to ineligible foreigners and with it voting rights" said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, noting that a MyKad was amongst the items seized from a terrorist suspect at the trial.

“Actually, it is nothing new as any Sabahan will tell you.   Malaysians have awoken to this threat of fake Sabahan/Malaysian with criminal activities including murder and foreign security guards holding fake Malaysian ICs and Pakistani taxi drivers holding ICs purporting them to be Sabahans in the past few months” explained Dr. Jeffrey.

“They are just the tip of the ice-berg and over time, the time-bomb planted by the federal government will explode not in Sabah but in the Peninsula itself.  There is probably at least 1.5 million foreigners holding Malaysian ICs purportedly issued in Sabah” cautioned Dr. Jeffrey.

The RCI missed a golden opportunity and should have re-convened itself to hear evidence of these IC holders, security guards, taxi drivers, general workers and the Ambank murder cum robbery suspect, found in the Peninsula.

“A deeper investigation into the issuance of these fake ICs could have unearthed a new dimension on the illegal immigrants from the additional evidence and added in the just released RCI Report.  It could also have provided an invaluable insight into the penetration of these foreigners in the government service, army, police and security forces” added Dr. Jeffrey.

The federal government and its leaders including Umno leaders from Sabah may want the RCI Report to be a face-saving public relations exercise to say that Project IC did not exist.

However, there are deep-rooted and serious problems arising from the illegal issued ICs and MyKads and entry of foreigners into the electoral rolls.   It is not just an issue of a million or two fake IC holders in Sabah anymore and it is not only a security problem confined to Sabah.

“We need to be warned that as for the militants in Southern Philippines, they were armed, trained and financed by the federal government.   This was openly acknowledged by MNLF leader, Nur Misuari, himself” said Dr. Jeffrey.

The whole country, its sovereignty and security is at stake.   What will eventually happen in the future will depend very much on what the federal government will do to resolve the problems including the illegal issuance of up to 1.5 to 1.7 million illegals and their entry in the electoral rolls?

Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan

Chairman, STAR Sabah

11 December 2014

Mykad, Photograph Of 'Sulu Sultan' Seized From Lahad Datu Intrusion Accused

KOTA KINABALU, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- A Mykad belonging to Pabblo Alie, one of the accused in the Lahad Datu intrusion trial today, was among the items identified by a prosecution witness at the High Court here.

Kinabatangan police officer Inspector Mohammad Azwan Abdul Wahab, 31, who was then Beluran criminal investigating officer said the items were seized from a tiny padlocked room in Pabblo Alie's house at Kampung Muanad 1, Beluran.

He said police including himself, staged a raid at the house at 5.15 pm on April 10 last year to arrest Pabblo and search for evidence relating to the intrusion.

During the search, he and his team also found a framed photograph of a man, with the description, 'Sultan Esmail Dalus Kiram IBNI AL-MARHOM SULTAN PUNJUNGAN KIRAM AL-SULTAN SHARIFUL HASHIM, THE LEGITIMATE SULTAN OF SULU AND NORTH BORNEO (SABAH)'.

The photograph had a logo with 'SULTAN ESMAIL KIRAM II' and 'Kingdom of Sulu Archipelago and North Borneo (Sabah)', some Jawi characters and the picture of a flag on it.

There was another framed photograph of a man, which had Jawi letterings, he said.

In court, the witness also identified four machetes, a light green plastic bag containing a small paper package with Jawi writings and a ball of yellow cloth which he described as amulets, that were seized from Pabblo's house.

Asked by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar how he knew that the paper package and yellow cloth were amulets, he said one of his men had explained so to him.

Mohammad Azwan was testifying in the trial of 30 accused in connection with the intrusion by a group of armed men at Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu in February last year.

Other items that he identified today were 117 pieces of RM1 note, three pieces of RM2 note, a RM5 note, 30 pieces of RM10 note, four pieces of RM20 note and six pieces of RM50 note.

He also identified a Brunei Dollar note, two pieces of 5 Yen note, two pieces of 10 Yen note, a one Philippine Peso note, a 10 Pesos note, two pieces of 100 Pesos note and a 1,000 Pesos note as similar to those that were seized from Pabblo's house.

In the dock today were 27 Filipinos and three local residents who are facing one or multiple charges.

They are accused of being members of a terrorist group, waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, recruiting members for a terrorist group or wilfully harbouring individuals they knew to be members of a terrorist group.

They allegedly committed the offences between Feb 12 and April 10, last year.

The hearing before Justice Stephen Chung at the Sabah Prisons Department continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA