KOTA KINABALU – The Sabah Immigration Department will be monitoring undocumented migrants who have raised white flags at roadsides with their phone numbers, pleading for food assistance.
In his daily updates, Covid-19 spokesman Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said that following a news report published yesterday more undocumented migrants have begun asking for help.
Today, the Immigration Department had inspected the situation and found seven white flags tied with phone numbers and a plea for food.
Upon calling the phone numbers, the department found that it belonged to seven women, believed to be from the Philippines, aged around 50 with six to nine children – including 1-year-old infants – in each household.
They are believed to be staying in an unsanctioned squatter settlement near Bukit Bantayan Kiansom, Inanam.
“They have also lost their food sources as their husbands are working in Kota Belud, and unable to return due to the district-crossing restrictions,” Masidi said.
Even though it was not stated if legal action will be taken against them, Masidi said that the Sabah government will only provide assistance to Malaysians.
“However, if there are NGOs and public members who want to give assistance to illegal immigrants, the state government does not have any objections,” he added.
Yesterday, The Vibes reported Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin saying that the number of undocumented people resorting to planting white flags for food aid and necessities was increasing daily.
The DAP state secretary, said that he received numerous reports and photographs of white flags being planted by undocumented migrants from his constituents recently.
They were spotted planting the white flags at Radiant Tower, Jalan Bantayan and Jalan Fung Yee Ting, near the entrance of Jade Residence, here.
In a separate development, Masidi said Sabah recorded 326 new Covid-19 cases today, with the highest in Kota Kinabalu (123), Sipitang (34) and Beaufort (29).
The breakdown of cases recorded in Kota Kinabalu saw 40 among close contacts, targeted screening (42), and cases detected in three existing clusters (20), among others.
Meanwhile, a new Covid-19 cluster was recorded in Ranau involving a private health clinic, which started when two of the clinic’s staffs were tested positive with the virus on July 10.
The virus had spread to the clinic’s patients, and 246 close contacts have been screened, 13 were positive with Covid-19, including five detected today.
The Pekan Ranau cluster now recorded a total of 15 positive cases, while seven people are still awaiting results. – The Vibes, July 16, 2021
