[UPDATED] Putrajaya mulling Sabah’s proposed migrant cards: Hamzah

KOTA KINABALU – The government is mulling issuing migrant cards (Kad Warga Asing) to those in Sabah to allow for proper identification and documentation after the proposal came for the Sabah government, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.

He said the idea was proposed by the Sabah government during the Sabah Migrant Management Committee meeting in Putrajaya today, and he is optimistic that the proposal can be approved in three months.

“This has been discussed at the technical level in the committee and we think that it is a good suggestion. The Home Ministry has the authority to issue migrant cards.

“We want everyone in the country to have identification, and in this case, they (migrants in Sabah) will be identified as foreigners,” he said at a press conference after the meeting.

Hamzah said issuing migrant cards does not mean granting one citizenship, but it only provides identification that one is a non-citizen.

“The migrant problem in Sabah is very complicated. They (migrants) have been in Sabah for so long that they have stayed for three to four generations. We send them back to their home countries, but they no longer know anyone there because they have stayed in Sabah for too long,” he said.

“Social problem (among the migrants) is another issue. If we can have them identified as foreigners, we might bring them into our labour force so they can work and earn money to pay for their children’s education.

“(For undocumented entries) we have our Ops Benteng and other operations to shoo them away. But the problem now is with the migrants who have stayed in Sabah for too long.

“We must solve this now or it will become worse in the future; in 10 years to come, we don’t know who and where they are, and their children do not have identities.”

Hamzah said before the proposal is approved, a new round of data collection process is needed for accurate figures.

He also said that the effort will need political will and collaboration from all parties in Sabah, including politicians and community leaders.

Earlier, Hamzah said the Putrajaya meeting had discussed six key matters relating to migrants in Sabah.

Other than the issuance of migrant cards, the meeting also discussed extending the period for birth certification registration from 42 days to 90 days after birth, which will need an amendment in one of Sabah’s ordinances.

“We know that there have been problems with late registrations of birth certificates in Sabah, and we will have the National Registration Department to enhance its mobile services in rural areas.”

The meeting also discussed relocating the Bajau Laut or Palauh community, and the committee is still looking into the legality and policy involved in its implementation. 

Most of the Palauh community – also known as sea gypsies – are in Semporna, Tawau, and Lahad Datu. They came to Sabah in the 1970s to escape war in the Philippines.

“We have also discussed other issues behind insufficient migrant labour in Sabah, such as the levy payment and worker welfare problems. 

“We have agreed to consider facilitating operators of all sectors that need migrant labour.

“The meeting also discussed the issue of delay in the deportation of detainees in depots in Sabah. 

“This time, we will pay attention to other problems, such as the identities of the detainees and their documents, before we make further decisions.”

Hamzah said the meeting, which is scheduled to be conducted four times a year, will be conducted more frequently in accordance with the need to solve several pressing issues. 

The meeting will be conducted alternately in Putrajaya and Kota Kinabalu.

He said the committee now comprise the main committee chaired by Hamzah and Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Md Noor, technical committee chaired by Deputy Home Minister I Datuk Seri Ismail Mohamed Said and Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, and another committee to oversee the legality and policies involved in the implementation of programmes and initiatives. – The Vibes, February 10, 2022