KOTA KINABALU – Kadamaian assemblyman Ewon Benedick has called on the Home Ministry to be clear about its plan to give stateless individuals a year to apply for MyKad.
The United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation politician today said the implication of the ministry’s move must be made known, as there are thousands of foreigners holding IMM13, Surat Burung-Burung and Census Certificate papers in Sabah.
“Does the federal government want to give them MyKad? Who are the target groups that the ministry plans to give MyKad to?
“I am saying this because the chief minister has tabled the state budget and mooted the Sabah Maju Jaya Plan 2021-2025.
“We do not want much of the progress brought to Sabah being enjoyed by foreigners instead of real Sabahans.
“We fear that with many Sabahans losing their jobs during the pandemic, foreigners are being offered temporary work passes,” he said during his budget debate speech here today.
Security is barely included in the state budget, he said, and concerns about undocumented migrants are growing among residents.
Ewon said there are 36,892 foreigners in the state holding Surat Burung-Burung (1976-1985), the settlement card (1978-1986), Temporary Registration Receipt (1988-1990) and Temporary Identification Receipt (2007-2010).
A total of 51,645 IMM13 cards have been issued since the first phase (1973-1985) and second phase (1997-2005), and its issuance to children (halted in 2013).
For the Census Certificate, 47,518 papers were issued in 1990-1991 (first phase), followed by the Census Classification Certificate (1994-1996).
“Concerns are growing when the federal government previously proposed to give the IMM13 document to Surat Burung-Burung and Census Certificate holders,” said Ewon.
“They are clearly illegal immigrants. What is the government’s justification in giving them such papers?”
He added that the Immigration Act does not recognise Surat Burung-Burung and the Census Certificate. – The Vibes, December 21, 2020
