Leaked cable Reveals Ex-EC chief issued 60,000 Fake ICs In Sabah

Kuching
Tuesday, 15th November 2011

People of Sabah especially the Kadazan/Dusun should ban these two traitors from entering their state if revelation by US Embassy is true.....www.Bukittunggal.Com

A leaked US Embassy cable carries an explosive charge against former Election Commission (EC) chief Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahim - that he admitted to issuing more than 60,000 fake Malaysian identity cards to foreign workers in Sabah in the 1990s - on Umno's orders.

The cable, posted on Wikileaks, quotes former Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections (Mafrel) chief Malek Husin as claiming that Rashid confessed this to him during a private meeting at Rashid's house on Oct 25, 2006.

In the cable marked confidential, Malek is said to have told US Embassy officials that Rashid (left) also confirmed Umno's launch of a "shadowy" campaign in the 1990s to wrest political control of Sabah - held until 1994 by the then opposition front PBS.

"During that decade, Umno granted citizenship and Malaysian identity cards to over 600,000 foreign migrant workers (predominantly Muslims from Indonesia and Mindanao in the Philippines) in Sabah, in exchange for their votes in state assembly elections.

"According to Husin, Rashid 'admitted to personally issuing over 60,000 fraudulent Malaysian ICs in Sabah', to help Umno assume political control there," the cable says.

Instant citizenship and voting rights for illegal immigrants have long been an issue in Sabah, with local leaders in and outside the BN coalition having repeatedly demanded a solution from the federal government.

However, nothing has come out of their demands.

It is claimed that the situation became acute in the 1990s, with the blame placed on the then Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad for allegedly launching what is now called 'Projek IC' - a clandestine operation said to involve the National Registration Department, related government agencies and their agents - to artificially boosting votes in favour of Umno and the BN.

In the 1994 state election, PBS - which held Sabah as an independent opposition front since 1985 - saw its majority hold of the state assembly reduced to a razor-thin margin over the BN.

Although PBS was eventually toppled with a string of defections to the BN by party stalwarts, many blamed the contentious 'Projek IC' for playing a major role in the success of BN's hostile takeover of the Sabah.

Wan Ahmad is 'anti-reform'

The cable, created on March 16, 2007, also includes Malek's claim that Rashid had also described EC deputy chief Wan Ahmad Wan Omar as "an Umno member who is anti-reform".

Malek is said to have told US Embassy officials that Rashid had intended to stay on as EC chief until "the number two is gone", with the aim of easing in the then EC secretary, Kamaruzaman Mohd Noor, as his successor.

In a separate meeting with Kamaruzaman, the cable quoted him as telling US Embassy officials that the EC was not in a position to push for reforms, as each and every proposal must go through the Prime Minister's Office for approval.

Kamaruzaman is also reported to have said that the EC had no power to investigate election day abuses, with it having to refer allegations of fraud or election tampering to either the police or the Anti-Corruption Agency, the predecessor of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

Battle for polls reform 'very steep'

Based on meetings among US Embassy officials and the EC, Mafrel, Bersih and several academicians, the cable summarised that electoral reforms in Malaysia faced a "very steep uphill battle" as it moved towards the March 2008 general election - which ironically proved to be a watershed outing for opposition parties, which were able to deny the BN a two-thirds majority in Parliament.

The cable described the "Umno-led BN governing coalition" as keeping a tight rein over all important levers of power, including the EC, leaving little wiggle room for any efforts to open up the country's elections to greater transparency and fairness.

It pointed out that despite concerted efforts by Mafrel and Bersih to push for grassroots engagement in their bid for a revamp of an electoral system heavily tilted in BN's favour, "their best efforts will almost certainly not produce meaningful reforms", at least in the medium term.

"Umno, in power since independence, faces no effective public, opposition party or internal pressure to reduce its overwhelming powers of incumbency," the cable states.

Mupok Aku

N45-Galas By Election

Kuching
Wednesday, 6th October 2010

EC Announces Election For N45 Galas, Nomination Day on 26th Oct 2010 and Polling Day On 4th November 2010

The Election Commission has fixed as October 26 as nomination day for the Galas by-election and November 4 as polling day, setting the stage for what many anticipate will be a thrilling contest where underdogs PAS will try its very best to retain the jewel in Umno’s dwindling but jealously-protected Kelantan crown.

The state seat fell vacant following the death of PAS assemblyman Chek Hashim Suhaima last month. It is part of Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah’s Gua Musang parliamentary stronghold and the late Chek Hashim had been hailed for being the first PAS leader to ever penetrate this rare Umno enclave in the mostly PAS-dominated Kelantan.

Ku Li used as bait by Umno to annoy PAS

Already, bitter rivals PAS and Umno have begun firing salvos at each other. In particular, Ku Li as Tengku Razaleigh is popularly known has been used as bait to annoy each other.

Ku Li, a Kelantan prince and former Finance minister, is an Umno veteran but he is also known for his independent mind and has not hesitated to slam his party for reneging on a federal government contract to pay the PAS-led Kelantan royalties for oil extracted within its boundaries.

The 73-year old Ku Li has often been a thorn in the Umno federal government but Prime Minister Najib Razak has reportedly signed a letter appointing him the Galas by-election director. Not only that, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and several other Umno leaders have rushed to express support for Ku Li being made the Galas by-election candidate.

PAS leaders have immediately chastised their Umno rivals for trying to insult and mock Ku Li’s standing as Galas is only a state seat, beneath the prince's national and even international standing.

Meanwhile, Ku Li has said he will only decide on whether to accept the offers when he returns from overseas on October 9. Pundits, who know him, do not expect him to accept either offer.

So far, Ku Li has directly refuted Muhyiddin’s statement that he had agreed to be the Galas election director. "You have to ask him (Muhyiddin). I haven't said anything to anyone yet," Ku Li said on Twitter when asked if Muhyiddin was telling the truth.

Chinese and Orang Asli the kingmakers

The 48-year old Chek Hashim had died after a long battle against colon cancer. He had wrested the seat from Umno in 2008 by a narrow 646-vote majority, securing 4,399 votes against Umno's 3,753 votes.

According to the last electoral roll, there are 10,330 voters in the constituency, with 65.4% Malays, 22.3% Chinese, 10.5% Orang Asli and 1.8% India

Pundits say the Chinese and Orang Asli voters may ultimately decide the winner. In the past election, the Chinese had mostly voted for PAS, while the Orang Asli voted Umno.

In a move that shows how seriously PAS is taking the Galas by-election, the party’s central working committee met on Sunday to discuss by-election strategy. However, PAS president Hadi Awang has deferred finalizing a candidates short-list although expectations remain high the final choice will be someone from the locality itself.

"We won't kid ourselves even though there will be political posturing here and there as is the norm in any by-election," PAS central committee member Nizar Jamaluddin told Malaysia Chronicle.

"But Galas was new to PAS and Chek Hashim was taken ill, so unfortunately, we did not really get to build as steady a rapport with the constituents as we would have liked. But with prayers, sheer hard work and the sincerity of our campaign workers, we are hopeful for another miracle to happen."

Mupok Aku

(Taken From Malaysia Chronicles)

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