Riled by xenophobia jibe, activist slams Shafie

Ronnie Klassen.

KOTA KINABALU: A political activist has questioned whether Chief Minister Shafie Apdal has lost the plot after Shafie accused Sabahans of xenophobia about illegal immigrants.

“Such words as xenophobia are beyond what is practiced by Sabahans. Shafie should be asking himself, who, among the populace in Sabah, should he focus more on?” a blogger, Ronnie Klassen, told FMT today.

Shafie said in a speech on Thursday, read by State Secretary Hashim Paijan, that Sabahans’ fears of illegal immigrants outnumbering them have morphed into xenophobia, causing a rise in discrimination.

However Klassen said it was incomprehensible for someone like Shafie, who is in charge of the state’s security, to imply these illegals should have the same privileges as the citizens of the state.

“This xenophobia which Shafie refers to, has no basis among Sabahans. The people are simply concerned about their lands, their security and the harmonious lifestyle that they are so used too.

“Sabahans are devastated, outraged and threatened by the very existence of these illegal immigrants. Is Shafie aware of this?” he said.

Sabah Wanita Umno chief Jainab Ahmad Ayid also found Shafie’s statement baffling especially because Sabahans are not only concerned about their political power, but more importantly the sovereignty and security of the state.

She pointed out that the Philippines had still not given up on its claim over Sabah.

“I also have Suluk blood but I am not willing to see our security and sovereignty threatened,” she said.

Jainab, a former community development and consumer affairs minister, said that Sabah was already inundated by illegal immigrants, giving rise to fears among native Sabahans that their rights are under threat.

She said illegal immigrants were competing for jobs and business opportunities in a relatively small market in the state.

Sabah has seen a surge in its population since 1963, from 446,000 when Malaysia was formed to 3.7 million today, according to the latest official statistics, an annual average population growth of 14%.

The influx had changed the state’s demography, with about one of every four Sabahans being foreigners. - FMT