New Jeffrey has solutions for Sabah’s ‘security nightmare’

It’s no use doing patch-up work after every kidnapping-for-ransom incident and assuring that Sabah is safe when clearly it’s not.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Opposition strongman Jeffery Kitingan has reiterated that his six solutions offer a way out for the state which, he alleged, was facing a “security monster” created by indiscriminate issuance of MyKads to foreigners and the continuing claim to Sabah by the defunct Sulu sultanate.

He charged that Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was “lying” when he claimed that the defunct Sulu Sultanate had placed commandos in each of the 60 state constituencies. He finds it strange that the defunct sultanate would follow the state constituencies in Sabah.

“Zahid’s claim is based on his imagination and was announced as part of Malaya’s political agenda in Borneo.”

“If he knows the commandos are there, he has not been doing his job in rounding them up and apprehending them. He claims that he knows they are there but yet doesn’t do anything about them.”

Jeffrey, who is Bingkor Assemblyman and Star Sabah Chairman, was elaborating on his remarks during the policy debate in the state assembly.

He pointed out that the time has come for the Malaysian Government to take a leaf from the Indonesian Government which had decided that it would go all out against bandits. “We must be launching the same kind of initiatives against cross-border criminals who threaten the security, economy and people of Sabah. It’s no use doing patch-up work after every incident and assuring that Sabah is safe when clearly it’s not.”

“The tourism industry has been particularly affected by kidnappings-for-ransom gangs operating with impunity in Sabah waters.”

The six solutions which he constantly proposed, he reminded, include the establishment of a Sabah Homeland Security Ministry complete with immigration, Registration Department, and security agencies to complement Federal Departments.

Among others, he also saw the need for the Sabah Government to come up with its own IC to replace the MyKad, expand the role of the Sabah Immigration Department to control entry points including Labuan and especially the eastern seaboard, the establishment of internal public security forces like Sabah Border Guards, Sabah Coast Guards and other similar units. “I agree with the adoption of a prosper-thy-neighbour policy approach to help develop, socially and economically, the areas in neighbouring countries bordering Sabah.”

“This will encourage the people to stay in their own countries instead of coming to Sabah and trying to take over the place from the Orang Asal and other Sabahans.”

The suspension of the barter trade with the Philippines and possibly to be extended to Indonesia, he warned, was a backward step, a knee-jerk decision made without studying its implications to the economy of the state. “The suspension has already affected the economy in the southern Philippines, and if continued, it will cause more economic refugees to flee the region and come to Sabah.”

“When that happens, Sabah will be flooded with even more illegal immigrants, adding to the state’s existing woes on the phenomenon. If their economy is destroyed, they have no choice but flee elsewhere, and the nearest and easiest for them is Sabah just on their doorstep.”

Finally, he argued, the Sabah claim must be resolved beginning with the Federal Government stopping the annual payment to the heirs of the last Sultan of Sulu.