Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today received a courtesy call from the chairman and members of the royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to tackle the problem of illegal immigrants in Sabah at his office at the Perdana Putra Building in Putrajaya.

Those present were the chairperson of the commission, former Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Steve Shim Lip Kiong, and secretary of the RCI, Saripuddin Kasim, who is also the secretary-general of the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry.

The others were former Universiti Malaysia Sabah vice-chancellor Prof Dr Kamaruzaman Ampon, former Sabah attorney-general Herman Luping, former state secretary KY Mustafa and the Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation deputy chairperson, who was also former Kuala Lumpur police chief, Henry Chin Poy Wu.

At the event, the prime minister handed over the instruments of appointment to them, witnessed by the chief secretary to the government Dr Ali Hamsa, before continuing with the meeting lasting about half-an-hour beginning at 5pm.

The commission was given a six-month deadline to complete investigations on the influx of illegal immigrants to the state.

Meanwhile, Shim said that at the meeting, they briefed the prime minister on what they were doing.

“I think the prime minister has voiced his opinion and we have taken note of his views,” he told reporters after the meeting.

Shim said the RCI had already started investigation of certain cases and at the moment they were not facing any problem in carrying out investigation.

“We have a team of very efficient officers to investigate. Once we have concluded the investigation, we will proceed with hearing the witnesses properly,” he added.

Asked on whether they could submit the report within the six-month period, he said they would try their best.

“But of course under the provision we can ask for extension if it can’t be completed,” he said.

- Bernama