Expel Those With ICs, Too: Dr Jeffrey Kitingan

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) on Thursday said the Government should not only flush out illegal immigrants but also those in detention centres and illegal immigrants in possession of Malaysian identity cards (ICs).

Its Vice-President Datuk Dr Jeffery Kitingan said the operation should take into account the mostly Filipino refugees and the alleged "Project IC" holders.

He said PKR is perplexed as to how the Government is going to deal with illegal immigrants who possess genuine Malaysian ICs.

"How is the Government going to deal with this issue? Is it through the formation of a Royal Commission of Inquiry or Special Task Force or Select Cabinet Committee?" he asked.

Towards this end, Jeffrey reminded the Federal Government that immigration in Sabah is a State matter as pointed out by Kimanis MP Datuk Anifah Aman.

Under Article 161E(4) of the Federal Constitution, immigration matters in Sabah and Sarawak lie with the State authority, the Chief Minister, to regulate and control.

Jeffrey said the Government should have also explained in detail the specific steps and action they are taking in the exercise to flush out illegal immigrants from Sabah.

"We want the Government to explain who are the targets and who will be involved in the exercise such as the police and Immigration Department, among others," he said in a press conference at Sokid Villa. "It is very unclear what specific steps the Government will be taking although we welcome their intended move."

He was commenting on Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's announcement that the Government would soon be launching a massive operation to flush out illegal immigrants from Sabah.

He said the announcement was long overdue and that it came a little too late considering the seriousness of the situation in Sabah now.

Jeffrey questioned why the Federal Government was only now making the move, which he said reflected its insincerity and non-committal stance over the matter despite repeated calls from Sabah leaders.

He suggested the Government form state, district and village committees as well as task forces that meet on a weekly basis. "The State Government should work out a policy of issuing work passes on an annual basis or half a year basis," he said.

He also suggested the Government conduct a re-registration exercise to determine who among the identity card holders are illegal immigrants. And once the exercise is completed, he said the State Government should take over immigration. (Daily Express, Sabah)

***** It is indeed a terrible disgrace that the genuine citizens of this country cannot trust their own federal government to get rid of illegal immigrants! Especially since the government itself was in the first place responsible for this mess.

By deceipt and subterfuge from the time of Dr Mahathir's administration, the federal government with the active connivance of the civil service, for ethnic and political reasons, sought to fill the two states with illegal immigrants to bolster the ruling government's vote bank and to give a marked tilt to the demographics favouring Muslims and 'Malays'.

The unchallenged and unproven theory then was that Muslim, rumpun Melayu 'citizens' would be steadfastly loyal and eternally grateful to Umno even if they may be from countries other than Malaysia. That religio-racist belief and myth have of course now been blown to smithereens.

As Dr Kitingan said the government has no sincerity in dealing with this matter and is in actual fact playing for time by talking about action against illegals. As a result of getting walloped in the last GE, with their backs against the wall and finding that their immediate survival now depends on East Malaysian goodwill, they have started to play out this sandiwara.

Now who would be stupid enough to fully trust such a government to clean up after the act?
Image - Source