IMMIGRATION SHOULD BE REPORTING TO CM

SABAH already has the power over its immigration and all it needs to do is to enforce it to solve the problems of illegal immigrants.

Chairman of the United Borneo Front (UBF), Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan (pic) fully agreed with the statements made by PBS' Secretary General, Datuk Henrynus Amin, except that there was no need to ask for Kuala Lumpur to hand over the power over immigration to Sabah.

"This is because the State already has the full, unquestionable power to arrest illegals and deport them without referring to the Federal Government," he said in a statement, Saturday.

"The state's power of immigration was never surrendered to the Federal Government. All the State Government needs to do is to assert its power and solve our immigration problems."

"We in fact still have the power to deny entry to non-Sabahans the same way Lim Kit Siang was denied entry and was forced to re-board the plane during Berjaya rule," he explained.

He said that the current status of power on immigration is that the Immigration Department should be reporting to Datuk Seri Musa Aman, the Chief Minister.

"The Chief Minister can direct the Sabah Commissioner of Police to act, the same way the District Officer can direct the District Police Chief to act," said Jeffrey.

"Let's not forget that as the Chief Minister, Musa is also the Chairman of the State Security Committee, which is a unit under the State's Internal Affairs Unit which has a Secretary of Internal Affairs," he said.

"This Committee is the one tasked for monitoring, co-ordinating and acting on of security matters in Sabah."

He reiterated that all the State needs to do now is to start the ball rolling towards an urgent action to solve our own security problem without depending too much on Federal.

"If the state BN is really serious about retaining Sabah as its fixed deposit, it would act on this matter for its own good as well. It cannot keep being shy of carrying out its duties and responsibilities and think it needs KL's approval every time," he said.

He urged PBS and Upko to engage the State Government into sitting down to resolve the matter and activate the all-important committee.

"I wonder if the committee has been active, or having been meeting to discuss security and immigration matters," Jeffrey asked.

"PBS and Upko who have been very vocal on the issue of illegals should bring up this matter in the State Cabinet to make a resolution to assert its authority to deal with the Federal Government as soon as possible."