Mositun: Sabah closer to resolving fake MyKad issue

PBS defends record on raising "fraudulent" MyKad issue and warns that this was not the time to blink.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), said its Secretary-General Johnny Mositun, has never wavered in its stand on the issue of illegal immigrants in Sabah. “PBS is on record as having never wavered from its stand on this issue. We are that much closer to a solution. It’s not the time now to blink.”

“Our persistence, despite all the obstacles and threats in our way, was a pivotal factor in getting Putrajaya to acknowledge and address this problem.”

Mositun, who is also Sabah Deputy Speaker, was coming to the defence of PBS Deputy President Maximus Jonity Ongkili, who has come under fire from all quarters for his call that the Federal Government recall all MyKads issued in Sabah and re-issue them to weed out fraudulent holders. “Instead of focusing on the merits or demerits of Ongkili’s call, the Sabah Progressive Party (Sapp) chose to question his effectiveness as a Federal Cabinet member if he felt compelled to make a public statement on the MyKad issue.”

“It was petty, vindictive and misleading. There’s nothing wrong in urging Putrajaya publicly to address the fraudulent MyKad issue in Sabah. Such a call need not only come from the Opposition. It can come from the Barisan Nasional (BN) too.”

It was unacceptable, added Mositun, when Sapp Information Chief Chong Pit Fah charged that PBS never did anything about Sabah’s woes on the illegal immigrant phenomenon. “The party had been raising the issue of ineligible foreigners in the state holding MyKads, long before Yong Teck Lee ditched it to form Sapp and join the BN.”

The Deputy Speaker acknowledged however that Sapp too has been very vocal on the illegal immigrant menace in Sabah. “It’s not just PBS but many parties across both sides of the political divide, including Sapp, who have spoken up on the illegal immigrant issue.”

“We spoke with one voice and that’s why Putrajaya could not ignore us. They had to allow the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Illegal Immigrants.”

He urged that Sabahans avoid quarrelling about the issue of MyKads in the state, just to score political points. “Sapp has suggested a Sabah IC to replace the MyKad. This is not practical as there should be only one type of IC in the country.”

“The critics think that Ongkili’s call will never become reality and besides, it’s said, recall and re-issuance were not the right terms. We don’t need to quarrel over such things.”

Mositun, continuing, reckoned that the most important consideration was that Sabahans avoid losing sight of the issue, their focus, their sense of unity and purpose. “This is an issue which brings us all together. We should focus on that unity, not play politics with the issue of fraudulent MyKads in Sabah.”