KOTA KINABALU – Two resolutions to resolve the migrant issue in Sabah received a mandate to proceed after a town hall session saw participants vote in favour of them.
The first is to establish a database, including the biometric profiles of all migrants, while the second one is to decide whether an identification card is to be issued to them.
These resolutions will then be presented to the state cabinet to deliberate on the matter before subsequently being proposed to the federal government to resolve Sabah’s migrant woes.
The first resolution was supported by 99% of 144 respondents following a three-hour deliberation during the town hall session.
89% from 89 respondents voted to issue cards to migrants.
The town hall session involved political party leaders, elected representatives, as well as leaders from non-governmental groups, associations, and the community.
The vote is one of the final tasks set by the Special Committee on Undocumented Foreign Workers and Foreign Nationals in Sabah in preparation for a report containing proposed solutions to be presented to the state cabinet and federal government.
Committee chairman Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan said the focus of these solutions would be the 136,055 inland foreigners holding Kad Burung-Burung, IMM13, and the Census Certificate issued between 1976 and 2013.
“We have heard all the views, concerns, and suggestions from the respondents.
“It was a good town hall session. Now we can say that we have received the mandate to proceed with the collection of data and issuance of identity cards to these migrants in Sabah,” he told reporters after the town hall session ended here today.
The Sabah deputy chief minister said data collection on inland migrants can commence as soon as possible and the work can be done between three and six months’ time.
“The integrated data system built in the process is already being tested and will be accessible to other enforcement agencies,” he said.
He said the system will be supervised by the state through the Sabah Affairs Department, a unit under the Chief Minister’s Department.
“So, this will be the way forward now. We must do the work, which we intend to carry out in three months to six months,” said Jeffrey, adding that a task force comprising the various agencies would be formed for the deployment of the system.
Jeffrey said several town hall participants had floated the terms “Foreigner Card” and “Non-Citizen Card”, but he added that naming the identity card is a sensitive matter, to be left out for now.
“Still, whatever name we use, we must consider the human rights issue, as well as the sovereignty and security of Sabah. All these decades, Sabahans have been afraid of this issue.
“If the matter is not resolved, not only will the fear become bigger, it will also be impossible to resolve.
“We have come to the stage where we need the political will to resolve this and no one can solve this without the support of all stakeholders,” he said.
Sabah formed a Special Committee on Undocumented Foreign Workers and and Foreign Nationals, with Jeffrey appointed as chair on February 16.
However, there has been no update on the progress of a second committee supposedly to look into the technicalities of the migrant problem in Sabah chaired by Datuk Seri Bung Moktar, who is also Sabah deputy chief minister. – The Vibes, June 2, 2022
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