Another ex-ISA man owns up
Published on: Thursday, January 11, 2007
Kota Kinabalu: A second former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee has stepped forward to admit that he, too, was involved in the issuance of Identity Cards (ICs) to foreigners "but only to those eligible".Jabar Khan said during the 1980s he "assisted mostly Filipinos and Indonesians who have been staying here for a long time to acquire genuine ICs, which was provided for under the law anyway."Like another ex-ISA detainee on Saturday, Hassnar Ebrahim, Jabar said he was also willing to testify in court so that the truth can be known.
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"Yes, I was involved, if not I would not be under ISA detention," said Jabar, who was held under the ISA from July 26, 1997 till Dec. 24, 1999 and was placed under Restricted Residence (RR) in the State Capital from January 2000 to January 2002.However, the 65-year-old Putatan Umno member said the time has also come for the people to move forward, instead of harping on the issue."They should focus on addressing a more serious matter, i.e. that of fake ICs being sold to illegal immigrants and I believe the number having these is far greater," he said."This (fake ICs) is what the political leaders at both State and Federal level should be tackling rather than engage in pointless debate or pinning blame."
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He also said as far as he knew, the Federal Government cannot be blamed, was not involved and probably was not aware until it was too late.
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"The situation was created by the PBS Government then due to its confrontational stand against Federal and pulling out of Barisan Nasional...some people with authority saw it as a golden opportunity and abused their powers."Speaking at the Daily Express office Monday, Jabar, a founder-member of Parti Bersatu Sabah, said he was never involved in the issuance or sale of fake ICs and that though he knew about Sandakan businessman Hassnar Ebrahim, he was not part of the latter's operations.Hassnar had said that he declined police requests to be interviewed on the matter because he had spoken at length of his involvement in a court case while other evidence have been published in books. However, Jabar said he was willing to be a key witness and also tell all in the event Hassnar is taken to court. Both Jabar and Hassnar were prominently mentioned in a latest book entitled "IC Projek" penned by M.D Mutalib, which is being sold for RM1,000 each."For helping those who had resided for a long time in Sabah and were eligible, I was detained under ISA. But what about those selling fake ICs and are still roaming freely? "Some, I understand, have returned to their hometowns in the Philippines and Indonesia in order to escape arrest after making millions of ringgit," claimed Jabar. He alleged that the going market price for fake ICs then was between RM3,000 and RM5,000 for Pakistanis and RM500 to RM1,000 for Filipinos and Indonesians."A lot of people were involved and money changed hands. At that time the economy was good so money was not a problem," he said. "This, the Federal Government must investigate and act before it is too late."As a former PBS Supreme Council member, Jabar said he headed the party committee monitoring the issuance of ICs to foreigners.However, his membership (1985 to 1991) was suspended when he was accused of assisting a PBS' "opposition" candidate, the late Datuk Mark Koding, who was then the president of Akar Bersatu in the Ranau by-election.He said since Sabah was led by a PBS opposition government "people saw it as an opportunity" (to provide fake ICs to illegals and turn them into voters or in other words for political leverage)."I am coming out in the open to tell the truth also because our Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) has asked us to tell the truth and to work with him," said Jabar, a former Chairman of Safma.He said the government especially the police, National Registration Department, community leaders particularly village heads and village development and security committee (JKKK) chairmen should work together to find ways to nab those with fake Ics."Though the Government can also take action against foreigners who obtained genuine ICs a few decades ago, they must consider that these people have already been living in the State for several generations now. What is important is to go after the fake IC holders," he said."If there are too many people having these fake ICs it can jeopardise the security of the nation. If action is delayed then it will allow them to procreate and by then it will be too late."That is why we have street children problems. They are not accepted by our government nor the Philippine government because their nationalities leave question marks," he said.On the street children, he suggested the Government formulate a programme for the people to adopt the street children and turn them into good citizens instead of letting them loose on the street. "If the government can do it for the Acheh orphans why not here?," he asked.Jabar said the relevant authorities especially the NRD must also immediately carry out registration exercises for locals to get ICs and late birth certificates in the remote areas of Sabah."There are a lot of Murut, Lundayeh, Dusun, Sungai and even Tambanuh who have yet to get their ICs," he said.Jabar, meanwhile, claimed he had told Umno that it was not appropriate for the Government to relocate the Sri Tanjung squatters affected by the airport expansion project to the area near Kampung Ma'ang in Penampang.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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