Warisan zooms in on youths to counter BN's anti-PSS offensive

KIMANIS POLLS | As the clock ticks down to the Jan 18 Kimanis polls, the Sabah Temporary Pass (PSS) continues to dominate the husting agenda on both sides of the divide.

Last night, Warisan sought to take the lead on the issue, using its Himpunan Anak Muda Kimanis as a platform to explain it.

This, just two days before planned anti-PSS rallies, one slated to be held in the morning where former Kimanis MP Anifah Aman is expected to attend, and the other - Himpunan Muafakat Rakyat Sabah by the opposition at night.

At the Himpunan Anak Muda last night, Deputy Home Minister Mohd Azis Jamman, who is also Warisan Youth chief, explained in detail the existence of three migrant documents and why PSS will work in Sabah.

"Between 1972 and 1984, thousands of Filipinos fled their country as conflict broke out in the southern Philippines. Some came to Sabah," he said.

The then United Sabah National Organisation-led state government allowed them to stay and issued Burung-burung cards to them, Azis added.

The federal government decided to send the National Security Council when the number of Filipinos and Indonesians entering Sabah grew.

A committee was set up and it decided to replace the Burung-burung cards with census certification, Azis (below) said.

However, this did not work out well due to the geographic factor as there was a lack of access roads to remote places.

As a result, some managed to change to census certificates while others still held the Burung-burung cards.

"Between 1990 and 1991, the federal government, again due to security issues, sent a special task force to Sabah. The Immigration Act was applied and the IMM13 document was issued to migrants," Azis said.

"The federal government wanted to replace the Burung-burung cards and census certificates with IMM13. However, not all had their documents changed. In the end, IMM13, census certificates and Burung-burung cards co-existed.

"That was the fault of the past government because they introduced new cards without revoking the old ones," he added.

Azis then said the issue today lies with the migrants who entered Sabah illegally or came to Sabah legally but did not leave the state.

These people stayed in Sabah with forged documents bought from syndicates, he added.

Aziz said when the holders of IMM13, census certificates and Burung-burung cards apply for PSS, the relevant agencies issuing the document will check data first before making an approval.

Genuine holders of these documents will not be issued the PSS if they have a criminal record, he added.

After the application for PSS is closed, he said the authorities will go on the ground to nab illegal immigrants.

Azis reiterated that the number of migrants to receive the PSS will not exceed 136,055.

"Don't get it mixed up and think that the PSS will attract more migrants to come. Only 136,055 (with one of the three documents) are qualified to receive the PSS," he said.

"I don't see why PSS cannot be continued," he said.

BN and the opposition parties have been harping on the PSS by claiming the new document could be a backdoor for undeserving migrants to obtain citizenship.

The audience at the Himpunan Anak Muda Kimanis.

While Warisan supporters have faith in the government executing the policy, some harbour fear that the PSS will be a repeat of Project IC in the 1990s.

BN leaders, mainly its chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, MCA president Wee Ka Siong, Anifah, PBS president Maximus Onkili and Sabah opposition leader Jeffrey Kitingan are expected to attend the Himpunan Muafakat Nasional Sabah.

At the Himpunan Anak Muda Kimanis, the 1,500 attendees were also entertained by local artists such as Ezlynn, Lan Solo, Ebi Kornel AF and Lotter AF.

While hundreds of the white-shirt Warisan supporters cheered and applauded now and then, the local voters just quietly listened to the ceramah.

Nine early voters cast their ballot today, while the rest will vote on Jan 18.

Close to 30 percent of Kimanis voters are staying outside the constituency with 2,000 of them living in Kota Kinabalu while 800 are working in Labuan.  - Mkini