Dr Mahathir's ex-political secretary denies involvement in 'Sabah IC Project'

Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin denied allegations that he had been involved in the issuance of identity cards, otherwise known as the 'IC Project' in Sabah.

Testifying at the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants in Sabah, Abdul Aziz, ex-political secretary to former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said he only found out about the project from his son, who had watched news coverage of the RCI on television.

"He told me that my name had been linked to the project. But I ignored the matter as I wasn't involved," he said.

He told the commission that throughout his period as Dr Mahathir's political secretary he had never heard of the term 'IC Project'.

Queried by conducting officer Datuk Azmi Ariffin as to whether he knew of any suspicious issuance of identity cards to illegal immigrants, Abdul Aziz said he only learned about it through the news on the arrest of several National Registration Department officers.

The inquiry before a five-member panel, led by former chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Steve Shim Lip Kiong, resumes on Sept 9.