Most Read
Most Commented
Read more like this
mk-logo
News
Dr M throws a red herring into Sabah RCI debate
Published:  Jan 21, 2013 8:33 AM
Updated: 3:13 AM

YOURSAY 'His suggestion of an RCI on granting of citizenship to a million pre-Merdeka immigrants is nothing but a ploy to divert attention.'

Mahathir moots RCI on pre-Merdeka citizenship

your say Pemerhati: Former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad is falling back on his tried and tested race-and-religious card to defend his illegal granting of citizenship to foreigners in Sabah by telling half-truths and outright lies to his Malay audience (at the Perkasa convention in Penang).

He is implying to his mainly Muslim audience that there was nothing illegal in his granting of 200,000 Muslim foreigners citizenship in Sabah as first PM Tunku Abdul Rahman had given citizenship to one million unqualified non-Muslims in the peninsula.

PKR deputy president Azmin Ali has correctly pointed out that Mahathir's operation in Sabah was shrouded in secrecy whereas Tunku's action was in accordance with a collective decision during the formative period of Malaysia's history of independence.

One of Mahathir's lies was clearly exposed when the royal commission of inquiry (RCI) on Immigrants in Sabah was recently told that a Pakistani Muslim and an Indian Muslim were granted citizenship in a matter of years, and not more than 20 years as claimed by Mahathir.

Spinnot: The granting of citizenship to the one million non-Malays in Malaya was done legally, contrary to Dr M's allegation that "it was not provided in the law at the time".

If it was illegal, why has he been quiet for so many decades and brought it up only now when he is implicated in issuing MyKads to illegals in Sabah?

Unmasked: The ongoing RCI exposures are damaging Umno-BN to the extent Mahathir is afraid that the Malays would now switch their support to Pakatan Rakyat en mass over the betrayal.

His suggestion of an RCI on the granting of citizenship to a million pre-Merdeka immigrants is nothing but a ploy to divert the heat generated from the Sabah RCI. Don't fall for it.

Hang Babeuf: "Just suggesting" (an RCI on pre-Merdeka citizenship)? This is no joking matter. Stirring up trouble is not an idle game.

Worse, the fact that Tun Dr M can can suggest this in a flippant gesture shows that fundamentally he neither understands nor respects the independence process, the political foundations of Merdeka itself.

Economically, other once developing countries have called for a "debt moratorium"; politically what Malaysia now needs is a "Che Det moratorium". He should just hold his silence for six months.

Malaysian Born: Mahathir's comparison of citizenship awarded to early non-Malay settlers with the manipulation carried out by those involved in the distribution of citizenship to illegal Muslim Indonesians and Filipinos in Sabah in order to surreptitiously change the voter statistics is nothing short of disgusting.

But then again we have come to expect this kind of pathetic comments from him. I have lost all respect for him, and I no longer believe anything he says. His legacy. as far as I am concerned, is dirt.

Gerard Lourdesamy: I assume the RCI proposed by Mahathir will include his father and grandfather who originated from Kerala, South India.

At the same time, the RCI should also investigate if Malaya ought to have been given its independence in 1957 on account of the alleged abuse by the Tunku in giving one million Chinese and Indian "illegals" citizenship without any proper evaluation and testing.

The RCI should also consider the legality of the Federation of Malaya Independence Agreement between the British and the Malay rulers since it may have been tainted by fraud in respect of the citizenship provisions.

If it is a nullity, then the British government should re-establish sovereignty over Malaya at the soonest.

Starr: Mahathir's cunning and crafty way of sidetracking, camouflaging the 'citizenship for vote' scheme is reflected in his hot pursuit of the pre-Merdeka citizenship issue, which is an non-issue till now.

Clearly, he can't defend his action in the Sabah's 'citizenship-for-vote'. Not only has he divided the nation right down the middle, institutionalised corruption, cronyism and nepotism, dismantled the institutions of parliamentary democracy, destroyed the economic competitiveness of the country, he has now altogether manipulated and destroyed democracy on which the country is founded.

Blaming the founding father of the nation shows how low he is prepared to go in defending his interests. Thank God, he has no place in the history leading to Merdeka of this great nation.

By leveling against the late Tunku and the conditions of independence, is tantamount to challenging Merdeka. The rakyat would do well not to be taken in anymore by this man.

Geronimo: Upon obtaining their citizenship, the majority of the non-Malays started to 'pay back' their country by working hard.

Many of them brought this country international recognition, and many of them returned home after their studies overseas as doctors, lawyers, engineers, lecturers, etc, as part of their contributions towards nation building.

Mahathir even admitted that the Chinese contributed 90 percent to the nation's coffers in terms of taxes. Now, I would like him to tell us, by granting these illegal immigrants citizenship in Sabah, what have been their significant contributions to this country?

The non-Malays paid back their dues many times over and yet he has the audacity to fault us for his treasonous acts? I hope he will choke in his own puke one of these days and be buried in an unmarked grave.

Under fire, Mahathir seeks to rewrite history


The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now .    

ADS