The alleged 1990s government covert operation to grant foreigners in Sabah citizenship-for-votes should be probed by a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants, Umno vice-president Shafie Apdal said today.

shafie apdal and mps no defection pc 280808 04 The Sabah MP who represents Semporna said a regulatory mechanism was necessary to curb the problem.

"Let them (the RCI) investigate. It is for the prime minister to make the announcement," Shafie said curtly when pressed on the delay in setting up the RCI.

"Despite what some quarters have to say about (our country) not being administered well, we are sheltered and (there are) employment opportunities aplenty.”

Last week, independent pollster Merdeka Centre disclosed that 79 percent of 1,019 respondents were strongly in support of a RCI on illegal immigrants.

"If the RCI is good for the nation, then why not? There is no person in any country who would like illegals in their country. In my constituency, for example, we are prone to piracy.

"Do you think I like? I don't at all because they endanger the lives of others," Shafie said.

NONE While the RCI on illegal immigrants with MyKad in Sabah was approved by the cabinet in February, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is yet to make an official announcement on it.

Shafie also touched on a statement by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who told Bloomberg that Najib should delay the general election until after the Hari Raya celebrations.

“That's his opinion. He has experience administering this country for more than 20 years. We should take it into consideration, but the final decision is for the prime minister to make.”

In the last four years, he said, BN has faced a sizeable number of by-elections and made enough gains to show that the party machinery is working hard.

"But of course, we always need to enhance on that. New voters, for example, we need to engage them, to register them."

Shafie brushed aside notions that the opposition was making inroads in Sabah, saying that such hype was not enough to win voters.

Asked about the challenge thrown to Najib for a public debate with Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, Shafie said the prime minister's capabilities should be judged by the efficiency of his leadership.

He said Najib has a proven track record and that debates do not matter to voters in the rural constituencies.

"In the rural areas, they don't debate, they just want proper shelter, water supply and roads. This is a Western sort of culture and we cannot use all Western values here," Shafie added.