NATIONAL SECURITY AND SOVEREIGNTY AT STAKE

“NATIONAL security and sovereignty is at stake with the continued and irresponsible issuance of Mykads and citizenships to foreigners in Sabah” stated Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chairman, in reference to the report by Mr. Mansor Santiri, President of Persatuan Bajau Bumiputra Semporna, pertaining to the concerns by the Semporna Bajaus on the issuance of MyKads to foreigners by the National Registration Department’s mobile registration unit in Semporna.

“I simply cannot understand why our Sabah leaders, who are in the position of power, just stand by doing nothing and continue to allow these backdoor granting of citizenships to foreigners to happen?” lamented Dr. Jeffrey.

He further added “Are they deaf, dumb and blind or so insensitive and powerless to do something about it?”

It (the issuance of MyKads) is just not only for foreigners in Semporna. There are numerous reports in other areas in Sabah where the foreigners will 'disappear' or leave their workplace for a few days to go to Semporna and apply for MyKads. A week or so later, they 're-appear' with freshly minted MyKads.

There have been so many reports cases of abuses and criminal acts by foreigners including recent cases of murders of locals and the many unsolved robberies, break-in burglaries and thefts and assault cases.

Even the distribution of the RM500 BR1M is not spared with many reports of abuses including foreigners getting the handouts while many genuine Sabahans are rejected even after appeals to the authorities.

In addition, there were reports in Kudat of foreigners getting the RM500 handouts and immediately going to the Western Union counters to send the money back home to their native country.

Unlike the peace and tranquillity in the past, Sabahans are today living in fear not just physically but are affected socially, economically and politically, and have to suffer emotionally and mentally.

“Where is the promise of security that was given to Sabah during the formation of Malaysia in 1963?”

“Are our Sabah leaders including the Sabah Umno/Bajau leaders turning a blind eye to the uncontrolled and maybe deliberate granting of MyKads and citizenships to these foreigners so that these new so-called bumiputras can vote for Umno and keep them in power?”

“What would be the future of genuine Sabahans especially the natives when even now the Sabah Bajaus are voicing their concerns on these foreigners?”

If the government and Sabah Umno/BN do not act and stop the deliberate issuance of MyKads and citizenships to unqualified foreigners, they should not blame the people for taking up action in this case including right up to the United Nations.

It is obvious that the federal and Sabah leaders are not serving national interests and the interests of the people.

The federal and state governments have become a government for party leaders and their cronies and do not care at all for the common people especially the genuine citizens of Sabah who are suffering.

The recruitments of foreigners as new citizens may be intended for the forthcoming general elections.

STAR Sabah demands that the Election Commission (EC) take the necessary steps to purge the electoral rolls and ensure that dubious MyKad holders are not registered as voters.

The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on electoral reforms must re-convene and take the necessary steps to ensure that the EC establish a clean and accurate electoral roll free of these new recruits and to ensure the government only hold the general elections when the electoral rolls are cleaned up.

If Sabah leaders are truly patriotic and not traitors and have any conscience at all, they should immediately leave the BN government and fight against this latest “invasion” by the foreigners before it is too late.

If this is not handled properly, it can eventually lead to foreigners taking over Sabah or to uprising and social upheaval.

Election of government democratically and change of government democratically by elections should be standard bearer in modern times.

It will not be democracy but a sham democracy if the election results are varied due to the presence of illegal foreigners but given the right to vote.

The integrity of the EC is at stake in the coming general elections.

The problem will be compounded by Sabah Umno leaders who just want to remain in power by whatever means including the use of phantom voters for hire and aided by the NRD and EC in the issuance of MyKads and the right to vote to these foreigners.

Things are going wrong in Malaysia. Things are going even more wrong in Sabah. As patriotic Sabahans, we cannot just stand by and watch the people in power committing sins after sins against Sabah and Sabahans.