Why was Nazri’s parliamentary answer that the Cabinet has agreed to set up RCI on illegals in Sabah blacked out in Sabah press today when it should make it to all the front-page headlines?


A most bizarre and extraordinary development highlighting the triple woes about good governance in Malaysia – the unhealthy state of media freedom in Malaysia, the veracity of Ministerial statements and assurances in Parliament and thirdly, the continued contempt and disregard for the long-standing legitimate grievances of Sabahans by the Barisan Nasional Federal Government.

The question all Sabahans and Malaysians are entitled to an answer is why the written parliamentary answer of the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz tabled in the Senate yesterday that the Cabinet has agreed on Feb. 8 this year to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on the illegal immigrant problem in Sabah was blacked out in the Sabah press today when it should make it to all the front-page headlines?

In fact, the news story was also killed in all the Malaysian mainstream mass media and all other language print media – except for the Sun, which appeared as page lead “RCI on illegals in Sabah” (p. 2), Star online (2.45 pm yesterday) and a few online portals like Malaysiakini and FreeMalaysiaToday.

Is it true that Bernama, which had earlier yesterday sent out a news bulletin on Nazri’s parliamentary answer confirming the Cabinet decision on Feb. 8 to form the RCI, had a few hours later sent out a retraction of the news item?

In his parliamentary answer, Nazri was reported to have said that the Cabinet has agreed to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) in an effort to find a lasting solution to the illegal immigrant problem in Sabah and that the process of preparing terms of reference of the RCI has started after the Cabinet made the decision on Feb 8.

Nazri said the terms of reference will be comprehensive and not confined only to investigations as the government wants to resolve the issue conclusively. The terms of reference would entail safety, social, economy and environmental aspects as the RCI would provide a lasting solution to the issue. The federal government would also get feedbacks and proposals from the Sabah government and stakeholders.

What right has Bernama to “kill” Nazri’s answer in Parliament, even if Nazri had misled and not told the truth in Parliament?

Will there be answers to these questions?

  1. #1 by Godfather on Wednesday, 9 May 2012 - 11:49 am

    There can be no RCI on Sabah immigration until the architect of Project IC is dead and buried. Then they can attribute all the blame on him. While he is alive, nothing is going to be done. Ongkili and other Sabahan ministers should be ashamed of what they promised to the Sabahans.

  2. #2 by Godfather on Wednesday, 9 May 2012 - 12:19 pm

    Kit: You should tweet the Kota Belud gangster if he truly supports a RCI in the next 30 days. He will say he supports a RCI just to please the Sabahans, but then he, like the others, will not commit to a exact timeframe because he would not want to offend the old fox.

  3. #3 by dagen wanna "ABU" on Wednesday, 9 May 2012 - 12:28 pm

    News blackout? No wucking forries man. Look at the batang kali massacre by the scotts guard 64 yrs ago. Despite the cover up and concealment and destruction of evidence the scandal has now made its way to the surface again. This time for real.

    So umno, take note!

  4. #4 by donng55 on Wednesday, 9 May 2012 - 12:36 pm

    Just did a Star-Online RCHIVES Search on Nazri but there was nothing on the subject matter. MCA-owned Star-Online also back-tracked?

    (Admin : Article can still be found here http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/5/8/nation/20120508150023&sec=nation
    2.20pm, 9 May 2012)

  5. #5 by sheriff singh on Wednesday, 9 May 2012 - 1:58 pm

    What have the Sabahan Ministers have to say? Once again they are marginalised by the center and they have no bolas to stand up but likes to get kicked about.

  6. #6 by yhsiew on Wednesday, 9 May 2012 - 2:00 pm

    Najib must not “touch” the old fox if the former wants to stay in power.

  7. #7 by tak tahan on Wednesday, 9 May 2012 - 2:49 pm

    Bernama is just another stooge of Umno’s moutpiece which only reports according to its master’s designated script.Other than that,cannot lor.Boh-hood paper same same with Boh-hood Koon.

  8. #8 by Bigjoe on Wednesday, 9 May 2012 - 3:06 pm

    Feb 8 – 3 months ago and NOT even a peep on the terms of reference or the members of the RCI..Clearly Najib had thought of going for GE much earlier and all the RCI talk is to fix internal party problems in Sabah rather than anything else.

    The RCI is going to be bogus even if it goes through..

  9. #9 by sheriff singh on Wednesday, 9 May 2012 - 3:50 pm

    Did Nazri ask the media not to report what he said in Parliament? Or did somebody higher up overruled him and make him a fool?

  10. #10 by dagen wanna "ABU" on Wednesday, 9 May 2012 - 5:50 pm

    Cowboy? Shooting from the hip? Ooops too soon boy. You opened fire much too soon.

  11. #11 by mauriyaII on Wednesday, 9 May 2012 - 6:07 pm

    Godfather 11.49
    “There can be no RCI on Sabah immigration until the architect of Project IC is dead and buried. Then they can attribute all the blame on him. While he is alive, nothing is going to be done. Ongkili and other Sabahan ministers should be ashamed of what they promised to the Sabahans.”

    You are right on the dot. Even if this proposed RCI materializes, it would be like all the other previous RCIs. What was the outcome of the Lingam and Police RCIs? Nothing concrete, tangible or reformative!

    Until the evil Mamak kicks the bucket, no one in UMNO/BN would dare upset that recalcitrant. They all know he is a very vengeful one, even worse than Satan.

    As for the Sabah ministers all are on the UMNO/BN bandwagon for the goodies that come with the ministerial positions. They are there NOT to take of the Sabahans but to suck up to all the UMNO goons to enrich themselves.

    What a bunch of shameless hypocrites!

  12. #12 by good coolie on Wednesday, 9 May 2012 - 11:34 pm

    The Sabah I.C. issue has never been admitted by the government and reported fairly in the government controlled media. However, I take comfort in an old adage, often quoted by a friend of mine: “Menutup bangkai gajah dengan daun nipah”. The stench of the rotting corpse in Sabah has already forced out the truth.

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