Sabah IC within the jurisdiction of Sabah as autonomous state

KOTA KINABALU, September 20, 2012: The issuance of Sabah identity cards to genuine Malaysians in Sabah is the best solution to overcome the rampant manipulation in giving national identity cards to foreigners through dubious means by those in power.

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Treasurer-General, Dullie Haji Marie, said that when SAPP forms the Sabah government after receiving the mandate of the Sabah people in the coming elections, Sabah identity cards will be issued to differentiate one from the dubious document holders and to safeguard the identity and rights of genuine Malaysians in Sabah.

"It must be addressed assiduously with full conviction and political will," he stressed.

"The issue of giving dubious identity cards has been going on for decades but its existence is being denied and only recently the establishment of Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) and suspect/doubtful Terms of Reference that took months to announce and now another wait for panel to start work and uncertainties of its outcome or effect. Legalizing citizenships through this means is tantamount of jeopardizing the sovereignty of the nation.

Datuk Shafie Apbdal had in his earlier statement said, "We can't even control the (Filipino militant separatist group) Abu Sayyaf and illegal migrants from entering Sabah, so why we trying to control Malaysia?" is both astounding and pathetic statement made by a Federal Minister from Sabah.

"It is a glaring admission on failures on the part of federal government over the security and the control of illegal migrants into the State. In fact, the illegal immigrants issue is getting worse to the level that is no longer bearable by Sabahans. For example, today's newspapers reported the revealing by the federal secretary, Dato Abu Bakar Hasan, that through the Tawau port along for the first eight months of this year, 30,869 persons came in but did not leave. He said 151,849 entered Sabah through the Tawau port but only 120,980 left. For the year 2011 at Tawau alone, 217,453 entered but only 165,857 departed, leaving behind a staggering 52,857 immigrants unaccounted for. How about the other years and other ports of entry?

"Their perceptions actually further enhance by statements espoused from UMNO top leaders that Sabah is a fixed deposit for Barisan National.

"SAPP is voicing the demands of Sabahans in accordance with all the promises and assurances stipulated in the 1963 Malaysian Agreement, it is well stipulated that Sabah has its rights, among them to control immigration into Sabah. This should not be perceived as "disloyalty" by Datuk Shafie or other leaders.

By Dullie Hj. Marie, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Treasurer-General, at a press conference with the presence of Datuk Richard Yong We Kong, Aloysius Danim, Edward Dagul, OKK Awang Talip Ag Bagul, Stephan Gaimin, Chong Pit Fah, Peter Marajin and Bahari Aship on 20th September 2012 at the SAPP Headquarters.