A pro-Umno website has launched a broadside against Sabah politician Jeffrey Kitingan for training his guns on Dr Mahathir Mohamad over the commission of inquiry’s report on illegal immigrants in the state.

MyKmu.Net accused the State Reform Party (Star) chairperson of having an axe to grind with the former premier.

The website was responding to Kitingan’s comments in a Malaysiakini article yesterday.

“His political revenge against Mahathir has still not ended based on his statement that the commission’s report was an ‘eyewash’ to save Mahathir,” read the posting.

The vengeance, according to the website, stemmed from Kitingan’s detention under the now defunct Internal Security Act (ISA) during the former premier’s era.

The Sabah politician was arrested over efforts to separate Sabah from the Federation of Malaysia.

“Jeffrey was also charged in court over a corruption allegation involving logging. He is still dissatisfied with Mahathir and Umno,” stated the article.

The website pointed out that during the commission’s nine-month long hearing, there was not a single shred of evidence put forth by Kitingan to show Mahathir or the federal government’s involvement in the issuance of blue identity cards and citizenship.

‘Transparent and open’

Contrary to Kitingan’s claim that the commission was a disappointment, MyKmu.Net argued that it was transparent and open, taking into account the views of all quarters, including that of the Sabah politician.

“Not only did Jeffrey fail to bring forth witnesses, the figures also showed that only 68,703 immigrants were given citizenship in Sabah. This is a far cry from the one million claimed by Jeffrey and his group.

“Furthermore, the commission also found that since 1990 until now, some 500,000 illegal immigrants have been deported,” he said.

If it was part of Mahathir’s agenda to grant citizenship, the website said he would have given valid citizenship and not fake identity cards.

“In his testimony to the commission, Jeffrey based his statements on observations... and it is not impossible that some of it (his statements) were cooked up to strengthen his political point,” it added.

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