Sabah illegal immigrants: Is Pairin backing off from his 2012 ultimatum?

Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan’s remarks on urging the Federal government to setting up the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) for the perennial PTI issue is confusing. Why is he (Pairin) making a plea to the authorities when he is the Sabah head of the sub committee for the illegal immigrant?

After the appointment by the CM last month, many viewed it as a means to shut Pairin up. The committee seems to be a mere window dressing to appease the public. Why else would Pairin make the plea on PBS’s behalf yet again? One would have thought that the announcement be made as the head of the State committee, after deliberating on all the various findings and recommendations, if any. The request should have been made at an inter-governmental State-Federal level and not at an inter-party PBS-UMNO level.

Why not now?

Another question that lingers in the mind is why did Pairin state that the RCI must be set up next year 2012 and not as soon as possible? The common man on the street in Sabah knows how severe the problem has become and if Pairin is serious, then he should demand for the setting up of the RCI now, for the betterment of Malaysians in Sabah.

The “friendly” request further suggests that Pairin is backing out from his earlier 2009 “ultimatum” that “that the federal government must act and resolve the illegal immigrant problem by 2012”.

This matter should be accorded top priority and the almost nonchalant manner Tan Sri Pairin made the announcement has once again made us question his true motives. As for SAPP Youth, we have been consistent in asking for the setting up of the RCI and have even embarked on a 100,000 signature campaign throughout the State earlier this year. This “mother of all threats” issue is of great concern to Sabahans and we again stress that the RCI is the only way to resolve this matter.

- Edward Dagul is the SAPP Youth Chief