By : JAMIL MIRDAD
KOTA KINABALU: The Royal
Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Illegal Immigrants in Sabah wants United
Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) to come up with a detailed
mechanism for implementing its proposal to recall for re-issuance all
identification cards from Sabah.
RCI Chairman Tan Sri Steve
Shim Lip Keong said the commission would want to look at UPKO’s proposal on
clearly lined up procedures for the exercise before it can make any
consideration or recommendation.
“You have made a general
proposal on the recall exercise and it would be interesting if you can come up
with a detailed mechanism in regards to this exercise,” Shim told UPKO Secretary-General,
Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau.
“It is very important for us
to consider your proposal (but with details), otherwise we would not know what
exactly you are proposing and how to implement it,”
The Tuaran Member of
Parliament appeared before the commission as a witness on Tuesday, to share his
knowledge as a former senior researcher for the Institute for Development
Studies (IDS) Sabah, as well as his views and concerns as politician in regards
to the illegal immigrants issue in Sabah.
Tangau, who served with the
IDS back in the 80s and 90s where he was directly involved on some studies on
illegal immigrants, earlier reiterated UPKO’s stand that there is a need to
reassess the whole system in issuing identity card.
He said there were
unanswered questions on the integrity of the whole system, the National Registration
Department and the government as a whole in regards to the alleged issuance of
citizenship to illegal or unqualified immigrants.
He stressed the whole system
have to be reset and the government must come up with something that the people
can trust, otherwise the question of integrity will always be in the mind of
the people of Sabah.
Tangau in his testimony
noted that he have in many occasions made a general speech in Parliament,
questioning the sudden increase of population in Sabah that started in the 80s.
However, the ministers
concerned have not yet given him a satisfactory reply.
Mahathir : Kad Pengenalan Biru Kepada Warga Asing Ikut Prosedur Undang-Undang
ReplyDeleteBekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr. Mahathir yang menghadiri satu program di Kompleks Karangkraf Shah Alam, semalam, menegaskan bahawa pemberian kad pengenalan biru kepada warga asing adalah mengikut prosedur undang-undang yang sah.
Soalan ditimbulkan wartawan rentetan keterangan yang dibuat oleh dua bekas orang kanan beliau kepada Suruhanjaya Siasatan Diraja (RCI) berhubung dakwaan pemberian kewarganegaraan kepada warga asing bagi memperoleh hak mengundi di Sabah.
Menjawab soalan wartawan apabila ditanya samada pemberian kad pengenalan adalah untuk menjamin kemenangan parti Barisan Nasional semasa pilihanraya di Sabah, Dr. Mahathir berkata sama seperti warga negara lain, mereka bebas untuk memilih mana-mana parti dalam pilihanraya.
Masalah kebanjiran warga asing terutama dari Filipina di Sabah adalah disebabkan ramai diantara mereka yang melarikan diri dari konflik di negara masing-masing.
Ramai di antara mereka yang telah menetap di Sabah untuk satu tempoh jangka masa yang agak panjang dan berkeluarga di negeri itu, misalnya salah seorang saksi RCI, Ismail Balaka mengakui beliau telah tiba di Sabah dengan satu bot nelayan pada tahun 1975 dari Pulau Ubian, Filipina.
Isu pemberian kad pengenalan mula menjadi sensasi bermula dengan perhimpunan di hadapan Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara, 12 Disember 2012 oleh kira-kira 380 orang penunjuk perasaan.
Perhimpunan yang mendapat sokongan parti-parti pembangkang itu adalah bagi menyelesaikan masalah bagi dakwaan kira-kira 300,000 masyarakat India yang tidak mempunyai kad pengenalan kerana beberapa masalah terutama dokumentasi bukti kelahiran.
Ironinya di Sabah, parti-parti pembangkang mempertikaikan proses pemberian kad pengenalan kepada warga asing.
Masalah mungkin timbul kerana warga asing terutama yang mempunyai keserasian budaya dengan masyarakat di Sabah boleh juga menggunakan alasan dokumentasi seperti yang dihadapi oleh 300,000 masyarakat India seperti yang didakwa seorang pemimpin parti pembangkang.
Dompok will give his testimony tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteSo let's just wait and see.
ReplyDeleteThe proposal will be shown to you guys.
ReplyDeleteDont worry,it will be presented to the commission soon.
ReplyDeleteKami menantikan persembahannya.
DeleteSeek and it will be given
ReplyDeleteMake sure the census is all right.
ReplyDeleteI am waiting for Dompok to testify.
ReplyDeleteHe will be the 126th witness
ReplyDeleteThe correct info will be known.
ReplyDeletePemberian kad pengenalan kepada warga asing boleh dilaksanakan asalkan ianya melalui proses perundangan yang sah, kata Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak, bersetuju dengan kenyataan Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
ReplyDeletePerdana menteri itu turut berkata kredit juga seharusnya diberikan kepada kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) yang dipimpinnya kerana bersedia untuk melaksanakan Inkuiri Suruhanjaya Diraja (RCI) bagi menyiasat pemberian kad pengenalan kepada warga asing di Sabah.
ReplyDeleteIa memang satu keperluan atas siasatan isu PATI ini.
Delete"Selagi kita beri IC mengikut undang-undang tiada masalah.
ReplyDelete"Masyarakat Cina dan India juga dapat kerakyatan semasa zaman British dahulu, selagi ia berdasarkan undang-undang, ia tak salah, itu bukan isu besar," kata Najib.
Kenapa pula isu kerakyatan dikaitkan dengan bangsa dan agama.
DeleteJelas Pengerusi BN itu juga, pelaksanaan RCI di Sabah itu adalah manifestasi ikhlas kerajaan BN untuk menyelesaikan isu yang telah membelenggu penduduk Sabah sejak sekian lama.
ReplyDelete"Penubuhan RCI adalah manifestasi keihklasan kami untuk selesaikan perkara itu ... Patut beri kredit kepada BN, ia perlu dilihat secara positif," kata Presiden Umno itu lagi.
Mantan perdana menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad mempertahankan pemberian status warganegara kepada warga asing di Sabah dan menegaskan ia dilakukan kerana mereka berhak dan dilaksanakan mengikut lunas undang-undang.
ReplyDeleteDr Mahathir berkata selagi seseorang individu tersebut memenuhi syarat seperti fasih bertutur dalam bahasa Melayu dan menetap di Malaysia mereka berhak untuk mendapat status sebagai rakyat Malaysia.
ReplyDelete"Kerajaan menerima warga asing jadi warganegara jika memenuhi syarat tertentu, malahan mereka yang berada disana bukan satu dua hari tetapi sudah 20-30 tahun dan mereka bercakap bahasa Melayu berhak jadi rakyat Malaysia," kata bekas perdana menteri yang pernah berkhidmat selama 22 tahun itu.
ReplyDeleteAdakah kesemua PATI yang mendapat mykad benar memenuhi syarat?
DeleteBeliau turut menyatakan walaupun warga asing ini diberikan kerakyatan sebagai warganegara ia tidak menjadi kesalahan kerana mereka juga perlu mematuhi semua undang-undang negara serta menambah pentadbirannya tidak pernah memaksa mereka untuk mengundi kerajaan Barisan Nasional semasa pilihan raya.
ReplyDeletePemberian mykad untuk tujuan politik ada satu kesalahan yang besar.
ReplyDeleteSabah is working closely with neighbouring countries to further improve the border control to stop bids by foreigners to enter the state illegally.
ReplyDeleteEastern Sabah Security Command Director General Datuk Mohammad Mentek said he had held informal discussions with the Indonesian and the Philippine governments to form bilateral ties and issues related to improving the border control, especially in terms of intelligence.
He told the Royal Commission of Inquiry on illegal immigrants in Sabah that the upgrade was needed as the illegal immigrants had been in and out of the state for decades through their traditional routes.
ReplyDelete“They know these routes too well. They know where the deep and shallow waters are, they know where to go to avoid detection or to lose enforcement pursuing them.
“For instance, there are over 20 lorong tikus (back doors) in Sandakan alone. This is just one district. Additionally, there are over 400 islands from Kudat to Tawau, which they can use to hide before continuing their journey to Sabah.
ReplyDelete“Another factor is the ‘help’ from the locals for illegal immigrants. The plantation and construction sectors have the highest demand for illegal immigrants as they are cheaper and sometimes, the employers can avoid paying levies,” he explained.
Mohammad, who is the former director of the State Immigration Department, said that among the contributing factors to their presence in Sabah is the economic development here which is so much better than back home.
ReplyDelete“They are willing to risk their lives, taking hours of boat ride to find greener pastures here. This is normal to developed countries, which some even have better border control measures.
“Another reason is that migration has started since the 1960s, and many who came here during those days had been awarded citizenship. So it is easier for the newcomers to seek shelter at the houses of family members who have since become citizens here.
ReplyDelete“These people have high spirits of survival and resilience. They are willing to stay at small houses with no basic facilities, because to them it is so much better that life back home.
One of the panelists Tan Sri Herman Luping noted that Mohammad has an enormous duty, because of the long coastal line and the presence of kampung air (water village), adding that since these people are so dependent on the water for their livelihood, it was not going to be easy to move them.
ReplyDelete“But perhaps we can learn from Brunei, which has been quite successful in doing this,” Luping suggested.
Mohammad said that there was no harm looking at success story in Brunei, and in fact, they are planning to go to the neighbouring country to look at their best practices, but that also depends on their financing.
Luping also expressed concern over whether it would be possible for EsscomM to be equipped with proper equipment, like radar and so on, for monitoring the border, to which Mohammad explained: “One of our main strategies is to strengthen the border. We already have radars, but we do need to strengthen the capacity. We also need to upgrade some of our defence and security assets, for instance, we do not have many boats that can go to shallow waters. Many of the security posts do not even have proper equipment. That is what Esscom is going to look into.”
He said it is a challenge as Sabah’s coastline covers 17,337 kilometres.
Mohammad said the EsscomM acts as a think-tank and adviser on security and defence strategies, comprising three main components, namely the police, the military, the navy and the public.
ReplyDelete“The objective of EsscomM is to coordinate social economic development based on security concept, including relocation of the kampung air. We have identified three districts for the pilot project, namely Semporna, Sandakan and Lahad Datu. We have also identified the water villages which will be moved.
“There are two options, to move them to a new place which means no more kampung air or reorganise the existing villages and develop it, including for tourism. However, relocation would involve a more intense internal discussion, because we want to ensure that their relocation would not affect their livelihood,” he said.
On another development, he noted that there are about 98,000 IMM13 holders, of which over 48,000 are still active.
“We know because the pass is renewed annually. There are a lot of IMM13 holders till to date because it is not an easy process to change it to other documents, such as Entry Permit of Red Identification Card (Red IC).
He said the IMM13 is only recognised in Sabah and Labuan and that the holders are not allowed to stay anywhere else.
ReplyDelete“We have a lot of refugee settlements but not everyone is staying there. Actually, they should be confined to the designated settlement so that it will be easier for us to monitor their numbers,” said Mohammad.
On a question from the Friends of Court whether the IMM13 is one of the sources used to get IC by the illegal immigrants, Mohammad said that about 50,000 IMM13 holders had either died or gone back.
“The process is not that easy, they have to apply for Entry Permit, Red IC, then have to wait for about seven years before they can ask for consideration for citizenship.
“The state has the power to stop anyone from coming into the state, or cancel the passport of any individual. It is the prerogative of the state, and it cannot be challenged. The IMM13 is under a different Act, but under the Immigration laws, there is a passport exemption order for Indonesia and the Philippines, legalising the issuance of IMM13. The exemption is still in effect which means IMM13 can still be issued,” he explained.
On the proposal for a Resident Pass for stateless individuals, Mohammad said it was just a suggestion, and had yet to be implemented.
ReplyDelete“But we are talking about stateless people, they are here, they are our responsibilities. If we send them back, where to? As of now, they cannot work, not without any documents.”
On a question whether he believes there is a weakness in the enforcement that cannot control the illegal immigrants from coming into Sabah, he replied: “I cannot say there is a weakness in terms of enforcement. I would say that every enforcement officer tries his level best, but you keep watch on every inch of the border all the time. That is why we are talking about strengthening the assets and human resources,” he said.
Pensyarah kanan sains sosial Universiti Malaysia Sabah
ReplyDelete(UMS) Wan Shabaruddin Wan Hassan berkata kajian pada 2002-2005 mengenai
impak terhadap keselamatan akibat kehadiran pendatang haram di Sabah
mendapati pendatang berkenaan terutama dari selatan Filipina, lebih suka
mendiami kampung air sebagaimana kebiasaannya di negara asal mereka.
Dalam pemerhatian kami, kampung-kampung air dilihat sebagai berbahaya
ReplyDeleteoleh kerana penempatan ini menjadi sarang kegiatan haram, termasuk
penyeludupan senjata yang polis sifatkan bukan sesuatu yang luar biasa.
Semasa lawatan kami ke sebuah kampung air di Lahad Datu, kami
ReplyDeleteterserempak dengan kegiatan mengedar wang palsu Malaysia yang digunakan
dengan meluas di situ
jenayah kecil seperti mencuri biasa saja
ReplyDeleteberlaku di kampung air seperti di selatan Filipina.
mencadangkan supaya kerajaan memantau dan mendaftar penduduk di semua
ReplyDeletekampung air daripada meruntuhkan kampung tersebut oleh kerana warga
Malaysia juga tinggal di situ.
terdapat keperluan untuk mengkaji semula
ReplyDeletepengeluaran kad pengenalan di Sabah.
Madius, yang juga
ReplyDeletesetiausaha agung Pertubuhan Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Bersatu
(UPKO), mengsorkan supaya kad pengenalan di Sabah ditarik balik dan
dikeluarkan semula kepada mereka yang mempunyai sijil beranak bagi
mengenalpasti warga Malaysia tulen.