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Court
admits fake IC identification receipts
KOTA KINABALU, Wed. - Thirty-six fake temporary Malaysian identity card identification receipts were admitted by the High Court today as exhibits in the election petition brought by Parti Bersatu Sabah defeated candidate Dr Chong Eng Leong and former Chief Minister Datuk Harris Salleh against Likas assemblyman Datuk Yong Teck Lee. All the 36 names appeared in the electoral rolls for Likas and had voted during the March 12-13 State election. PBS lawyer Yunof Maringking in tendering the documents through Dr Chong told the court that the exhibits were in line with the petitioners' contention that the Likas electorals had been certified illegally by the Election Commission. Under examination-in-chief by Maringking, Dr Chong said the receipts were surrendered to him by its holders after the State election. Dr Chong said after a careful study of the documents, he found that the fingerprints in the 36 receipts were identitical. The handwriting in all the docments were also the same. He said that six of the receipts were issued for lost identity cards (JPN 1/11) while the rest were receipts acknowledging applications for new identity cards (JPN 1/9). The National Registration Department issues JPN 1/11 to Malaysians who apply for replacement of their lost identity cards. Applications must be supported by police reports. Dr Chong said further investigation showed that the JPN 1/11 was issued to six persons between Aug 10 and Nov 8 last year but police reports were only made between Feb 1 and 9 this year. "It's obvious that the six JPN 1/11 were issued before the police reports were made," the former senator said. Dr Chong and Harris, the Parti Barisan Rakyat Sabah Bersekutu (Bersekutu) defeated candidate, are jointly seeking a court order to nullify the result of the Likas election, on grounds of alleged irregularities including the existence of phantom voters and corrupt practices. Yong, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president, who won the Likas seat, the Election Commission and the Returning officer for Likas Ismail Majin are named as respondents. However, in Harris's petition the Election Commission and returning officer have been struck out as respondents. Kuching-based judge Datuk Muhammad Kamil Awang is hearing the case. Yong's lawyers are P.K Lim, Alex Decena and John Sikayun while Ansari Abdullah is Harris' counsel. Senior Federal Counsel Abu Bakar Jais is representing the Election Commission and Returning Officer. Maringking was also successful in his application to tender a book titled 'IC Palsu: Merampas Hak Anak Sabah' by local writer Mutalib Mohd Daud as an exhibit. Questioned by Maringking, Dr Chong said he read and studied the contents of the book which centered on a syndicate producing and supplying illegal immigrants with idendity cards. Dr Chong told the court that Yong had made a police report about the book asking the police to investigate its authenticity. Hearing will resume for a week beginning Nov 9. |
