KOTA KINABALU – As expected, the opposition parties in Sabah did not take the idea of issuing Migrant Cards (Kad Warga Asing) to foreigners in the state well.
United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation vice-president Datuk Ewon Benedick said that the government’s plan was like “licking its own spit”, as Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) was the one opposing the proposal to introduce Sabah Temporary Pas (PSS) to migrants in the state before.
“I do not know the real stand of GRS’ leaders, but before this they were loud in opposing the PSS proposed by the Illegal Immigrant Management Committee, which was chaired by the then-home minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“But today, not only are they conducting a census named Illegal Immigrant in Sabah Programme, but they also give them a new document.
“This is like licking their own spit. In the end, who is proven to be friendly to the illegal immigrants? Not them?” Benedick said in a statement yesterday.
Earlier yesterday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin after chairing the Sabah Migrant Management Committee meeting in Putrajaya said that the government was mulling to approve the state government’s proposal to issue Migrant Cards to all foreigners in Sabah.
Benedick, who is also Kadamian assemblyman, said that GRS must tell its real policy on the illegal immigrant issue in Sabah.
“What is clear is that when campaigning for the Sabah election (in 2020), GRS had promised to send the illegal immigrants back to their countries. If this is only talk, then this is a failure by the government,” he said.
Meanwhile, Warisan Wirawati deputy chief Jo-Anna Sue Henley Rampas also said that GRS is not keeping its promise to deport all illegal immigrants back to their countries of origin.
“After their promises, why are illegal immigrants still seen in towns and in the villages?
“It has been over a year since the Sabah election in 2020, and the people of Sabah are still wondering about this.
“GRS was the one that opposed PSS, and now they are keeping quiet when the federal government is mulling to issue the same document ?
“Will this card allow illegal immigrants to obtain citizenship through the naturalisation process?
“What is GRS’ stand on Migrant Cards as a self-identification document for migrants who have stayed for very long in Sabah?” she questioned in a statement.
Rampas said Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor as the chief minister of Sabah must take follow-up action after Hamzah’s announcement.
“Is this what the people of Sabah want when they vote for GRS? It is like ‘ordering’ one thing but getting another thing.”
The opposition parties are not the only ones slamming the idea of the migrant card, but also the GRS-friendly Sabah Progressive Party.
Its president Datuk Yong Teck Lee, who is also former Sabah chief minister, said that it is important to clarify whether or not the Migrant Card is going to give legal status to illegal immigrants.
He said such a plan should only be done on employed foreign workers.
“Even though the proposal wants to issue Migrant Cards to migrants who have stayed long in Sabah as well, we fear that it will cause a bigger problem; it might encourage more illegal immigrants to enter Sabah in the future,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Yong, who is also a nominated assemblyman, suggested for the Immigration Department to enhance its enforcement and deport illegal immigrants back into their home countries.
“At the same time, our enforcement at the border to stop the entrance of illegal immigrants must be strengthened,” he said. – The Vibes, February 11, 2022
