Puzzling decisions on illegals

Kota Kinabalu: Some Federal Ministers are making puzzling decisions concerning Sabah, especially on the illegal immigrant issue, because they fail to understand the true nature of the problems faced by Sabahans.

Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Batu Sapi MP Datuk Edmund Chong said one such decision was relocating the illegal immigrants in Kiansam Labuan and issuance of IMM13 to them as announced by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.

"Has this been brought to the attention of and approved by the Federal Cabinet? Sabah has three Ministers (Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili and Datuk Shafie Apdal), perhaps they should tell if this has been done," he said, Wednesday.

Chong, who is PBS Treasurer-General, said this justified the reason for more representation from Sabah at the Federal Cabinet because they understand the problems of the State better.

In supporting PBS President Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan's statement over the Labuan issue, he said the Federal Government should tell the people the outcome of the recommendations submitted by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Integrity of which he was also a panel member.

He said the select committee had gathered feedback from many quarters including from author MD Mutalib, who has written books on the problem of illegal immigrants as well as the alleged perpetrators.

"If he was wrong and the facts in his books are lies then why has no action been taken against him? If he is wrong he should be put in prison," he said.

Chong said undoubtedly the Federal Government had been taking action on illegal immigrants but not sufficiently to tackle the scale of the problem affecting Sabah now.

"What has been done to illegals found holding our genuine identification documents? The documents are genuine but the holders are false," he said.

Chong claimed the Federal Government had also been making decisions, which affect Sabah without consulting the State government.

"How come our Chief Minister who is also the State Security Committee Chairman has no say in matters such as this?," he asked. - Daily Express