Implement the 10 points now, roars Pairin

PBS president Joseph Pairin Kitingan says although the agreement is not the best solution, at least it is a commitment to allow Christians to practice their faith.

PENAMPANG: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Joseph Pairin Kitingan last night rapped blinkered peninsular Muslim political and civil society leaders and demanded that the 10-point Agreement which the Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak-led federal cabinet agreed to in 2011 be implemented immediately and “without dispute”.

He said freedom of religion was based on “sovereignty of the law” and therefore must be respected and adhered to by everyone.

“Everyone must be aware of this.. therefore, I urge Muslims in the peninsula to be more sensitive to the Christians in Sabah and Sarawak.

“No one, should be one sided. The Rukunegara principle Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan (belief in God) must be upheld.

“PBS wants to remind everyone that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak in his letter to the Christians in Malaysia on April 11, 2011, has agreed to the 10 Points Agreement.

“The 10 Points Agreement was made by the Federal Cabinet. We urge all parties involved to respect and implement the 10 points without dispute.

“Even though the 10 Points Agreement is not the best solution to the Christians, at least it is a commitment that Christians in Sabah and Sarawak are able to practice their religion,” he said.

Speaking to party members when delivering his policy speech at the Hongkod Koisaan Hall during PBS’ 28th Congress, Pairin urged ignorant peninsular leaders to experience Sabah or Sarawak to see how the people lived in peace despite the differences in ethnicity, religion and beliefs.

“Through this, maybe we could become a lesson to them to treat all creatures as the creation of God,” he said alluding to the rash of anti-Christian comments that followed the the contentious ‘Allah’ issue.

Pairin further reminded peninsular leaders that “Malaysia comprised Sabah, Sarawak and the peninsula.”

“Insensitive and emotional statements will only destroy the unity among races including between (people) in the peninsular and in Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.

RCI panel must be bold

Pairin also touched on the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into legalised illegal immigrants in Sabah.

He said the RCI panel must be bold when making recommendations to eradicate illegal immigrants in Sabah.

He assured that PBS would support the recommendations by the RCI and ensure the agencies concerned act on the proposals.

“Even though this would require us to take drastic action, but we must be prepared to do anything to resolve the illegal immigrants issue in Sabah,” he said.

He warned that the illegal immigrants issue would not only damage the sovereignty of Sabah and Malaysia but also induce the people not to support the Barisan Nasional (BN) if they felt their interest was being ignored while the illegal immigrants are allowed to do as they please in Sabah.

“Therefore, I would like to urge the federal government to take into consideration the recommendations by the Royal Commission of Inquiry and use its political will to take firm, immediate and effective action including enforcement of the law,” he said.

The illegal immigrant issue, he said, is deeply rooted and not easy to settle through public debates and efforts by certain parties only.

Everyone, including the PBS, he said, has given their views and contribution in the process to resolve the problem.

Personally, he said, he agreed and is of the view that the matter could only be settled with the cooperation of everyone at the discussion table.

The RCI, Pairin said, was stopped for a while in February this year following the intrusion of armed Sulu terrorists in Lahad Datu.

Invasion made valid fears

He said the incident brought to valid reality the fears of Sabahans that their safety could be threatened by the presence of illegal immigrants.

“This is because it is believed the intruders have been assisted by the illegal immigrants. This also showed how important it is for us to resolve the problem (once and for all) in Sabah now,” he said.

Pairin, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister-cum-Infrastructure Development Minister, said the people’s fears have been assuaged somewhat by Najib’s assurance during a visit earlier this year that “…no one from within or outside of the nation would be allowed to undermine security in Malaysia”.

He said the formation of the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone) and Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) was a rapid and precise reaction from the government to handle similar situation of intrusion from repeating again.

But he added that the progress of the Esszone and Esscom was slow.

“Earlier, we were made to understand that the Esszone defence would be bolstered with the deployment of security battalions (along the 1,700km coastal areas from Kudat to Semporna, including 480 islands)…but this process has been slow,” he said.