"His statement 'even a layman knows that evidence in the court does not necessarily contain the truth' is tantamount to contempt of court," said its Chief Information Officer, Johnny Mositun.

According to him, this was very damaging particularly to the country's legal system.

"Is Harris saying that all evidence produced in court is false? Is he insinuating our legal system is a mockery?" he asked Wednesday.

Mositun, who is also PBS Pantai Manis Chief, was commenting on Harris' response to PBS President Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan who said that the name of the defunct Berjaya President was implicated together with several top Federal leaders in the alleged Project IC in the testimony of former ISA detainee, Hassnar Ebrahim.

Hassnar's testimony, also re-published in the "Projek IC" book by Mutalib MD, was made during the Likas Election Petition trial in 1999.

Pairin had read out excerpts from Hassnar's testimony in response to Harris' claim that dubious ICs, which were unsupported by birth certificates, were verified by Statutory Declaration or Surat Akuan Sumpah issued by PBS-appointed village heads.

Upko Sec-Gen and Tuaran MP Datuk Madius Tangau also said a biography on Harris by Paul Raffaelae entitled "Harris Salleh of Sabah" published after the toppling of Berjaya by PBS clearly outlined how illegal immigrants in Sabah could be legalised in order to wrest back political control of the State.

Meanwhile, Mositun said there was already so much evidence on the allegations and that the Government and police have stated that action would be taken by conducting investigations.

"Of course, the State Government and leaders are very aware of this and they know something must be done," he said.

The main issue here, Mositun said was the fact that immigrants had acquired genuine coded "12" ICs, which means they were born in Sabah while in fact they were not.

"It is to say that they (foreigners with the ICs) also enjoy the same rights as the locals. It is the feeling of the locals that this group should not be getting similar benefits and rights as locals," he said.

In this respect, Mositun said that another issue that needed similar priority was the maintenance of the border to ensure it is difficult for illegal immigrants to sneak in.