KOTA KINABALU – Desperate for aid, undocumented migrants in the state capital have joined the #benderaputih campaign.
Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin said the numbers of migrants resorting to planting white flags for food aid and basic necessities are increasing daily.
“I wonder whether Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) (federal and state) government(s) have any strategies planned to respond to such issues faced by the group during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Does this government intend to forcefully suppress these undocumented immigrants by ignoring them and let them starve to death?
“Or would they prefer to take a more humane approach? I hereby request the state government to be clear on this matter and not just turn a blind eye and sweep it under the carpet as if they don’t exist,” he said.
Under the present aid scheme by the state government, undocumented migrants are not eligible for government aid.
State Community Development and People’s Well-being Minister Shahelmy Yahya had reportedly said that food baskets are only for those listed under the E-kasih list and hardcore poor Malaysians.
Chan, who is also DAP’s state secretary, said that he had received numerous reports and photographs of white flags being planted by undocumented migrants from locals in his constituency recently.
The migrants were spotted planting the white flags at Radiant Tower, Jalan Bantayan and Jalan Fung Yee Ting, near the entrance of Jade Residence, here.
Chan and his team immediately visited and delivered 20 food baskets to each of these groups and found them squatting in settlements close to the residential areas.
“My team had called these numbers planted with the flags and asked the person to come out to receive the food baskets.
“I was caught by surprise when soon after, ten people suddenly emerged from the thicket close by.
“When I asked them whether they had their MyKad with them, most of them remained silent,” he said.
The aid provided by his team, Chan said, will not solve the issue in the long-term, as they will continue to ask for aid again.
“It seems that even undocumented immigrants have jumped onto the bandwagon and have started raising white flags,” he said.
He stressed that while aid should be provided to all vulnerable groups, it could be difficult to keep a headcount due to their lack of valid documentation under Malaysian migration laws.
It is estimated that undocumented immigrants account for at least a quarter of the state’s four million people.
“For now, the burden to provide humanitarian relief has gone to the political parties and the non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
“But how long can they sustain? Until when, will the government continue to shirk their responsibility?
“It is impossible to rely solely on NGOs and charitable organisations to feed all these hungry undocumented migrants,” he added.– The Vibes, July 15, 2021
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