Confusion reigned when officials claimed that commissioners tasked with probing the presence of immigrants in Sabah were not part of a 'Royal Commission of Inquiry' despite being referred to as such since its inception in January last year.

Instead, reporters were told by the commission secretariat that it should be referred to simply as the "commission of inquiry".

Quizzed on this later, Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail said: "Just use whatever is written on the title of the report."

When pointed out that the 376-page report is titled 'Commission of Enquiry' instead of 'Commission of Inquiry', he quipped that this should be discussed during an English lesson.

An 'enquiry' generally refers to asking for information whereas an 'inquiry' is an investigation into a matter.

Adding to the confusion, Gani, when addressing the press later, also referred to the commission as 'RCI' while the comission's secretary Saripuddin Kasim was introduced at the press conference as the ‘RCI secretary’.

But chief secretary Ali Hamsa, who unveiled the report in Kota Kinabalu this afternoon, steered clear of the word 'royal'.

The term was dropped from the cover, but in the report, the commissioners referred to themselves as members of an RCI.

A Bernama report on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's announcement of the formation of the commission also refered to it as an RCI.

MP barred from PC

Whether the commission is 'royal' or otherwise, Ali said it was formed under Section 2(1)(d) Commission of Enquiry Act 1950 which says commissioners are to be appointed by the Agong.

Like Malaysia, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica call the equivalent law the Commissions of Enquiry Act. However, in the New Zealand, India and Australia, it is called  the Commissions of Inquiry Act, while in the United Kingdom the law is called the Inquiries Act.

Nevertheless, previous royal commissions in Malaysia were referred as "royal commission of inquiry".

The report was submitted to the monarch on May 5 whereas the prime minister had presented it to the cabinet on July 7.

Earlier, DAP's Kota Kinabalu MP Jimmy Wong (right) caused a scene by insisting on being allowed into the 'invite-only' press conference.

Officials barred him from attending the event, which saw reporters being scanned with metal detectors by security personel, because it was only open to media.

Also not allowed into the function was Movement for Change Sabah (APS) leader and lawyer Maijol Mahap.

Previous report

Eight things to know about the Sabah RCI

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