Two PBS state assemblymen, Ching Eng Leong and Samson Chin Chee Tsu, told us on October 4 that former PM Mahathir began the initiative prior to the 1994 state assembly election, in order to ensure UMNO's political takeover of Sabah. UMNO's control was further solidified during the 1999 state election, as UMNO granted more foreigners citizenship and voting rights under what came to be known as "Project Mahathir."
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER
Raja Petra Kamarudin
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KUALA LUMPUR 001948
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, DS/ATA AND DS/IP/ITA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2016
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, PGOV, PINR, KDEM, KISL, SMIG, ASEC, MY
SUBJECT: SABAH: POROUS BORDERS; PROBLEMS WITH FOREIGNERS; UNHAPPY UMNO COALITION PARTNER
REF: A. KUALA LUMPUR 1862
B. KUALA LUMPUR 1935
Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark for reasons 1.4 (b , d).
Summary
1. (C) The police, political leaders, a human rights official in the East Malaysia state of Sabah recently expressed their concerns to us about rising crime and the security impact from the high number of foreigners - both legal and illegal - residing in the state. Sabah's Acting Police Commissioner said illegal migrants and other foreigners committed three out of four violent crimes in the state, but he did not address terrorist threats or transnational crime syndicates.