KOTA KINABALU: Sabah government coalition leaders today hit out at Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku’s (STAR) chief Jeffrey Kitingan for suggesting the current state government is the cause of the influx of illegal immigrants into Sabah.
Warisan secretary-general Loretto Padua asked if the federal deputy tourism, arts and culture minister had chosen to forget when the problem started.
“Doesn’t Jeffrey know this issue has been going on since before? He is politicising the issue by saying the state government is friendly to illegal immigrants and that this has caused the problem.
“The Sabah government has never compromised and will never wash its hands over the entry of illegals. What the government wants to do is to solve this issue and that of stateless children,” he said here today.
Jeffrey yesterday said that STAR would initiate a forum to find permanent solutions to the illegal immigrant issue in Sabah after the movement control order was lifted.
The Keningau MP added the presence of illegals was compounded by policies of the Warisan-led Sabah government which seemed to favour them.
He claimed the government had also gone to the extent of offering them an island and a Sabah temporary pass, an idea which was abandoned following strong opposition.
Warisan treasurer-general Terrence Siambun said such a forum was unnecessary as there had been numerous discussions, documentaries, and debates in Parliament and the state assembly over the issue since the 1980s.
“We even had a royal commission of inquiry on it. What is needed now is action,” said the nominated assemblyman.
Upko secretary-general Nelson Angang said Jeffrey had made many false and serious allegations against the current administration without offering any proof.
One example, he said, was Jeffrey’s suggestion that the previous Pakatan Harapan federal government’s proposal on the introduction of the temporary pass was akin to the state government favouring the allowing of illegal immigrants to stay on in Sabah.
“Not surprisingly, he had omitted the fact that the proposal had come from the federal home ministry whose minister then is the current prime minister, and that Jeffrey is now serving as part of his Cabinet.
“He also seems confused about the Sabah temporary pass. It is actually a proposal to find a solution to the refugee problem in the state and not about giving documentation to illegal immigrants.
“If they can’t even distinguish the difference between refugees and illegal immigrants, then what hope do we have of them finding a solution?” Angang asked.
Meanwhile, Sabah PKR vice-chairman Kenny Chua said the only permanent solution to the problem of illegal immigrants and undocumented persons in Sabah was to repatriate them.
Chua, who is state assistant finance minister, said while this would be a massive undertaking for the state government, considering the size of the population and the sensitivity of the issue, there was really no other option. - FMT
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