Sabah ministers serious about resolving citizenship issues

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 (The Star) -- The three Sabah ministers will pursue in Cabinet the MyKad and citizenship problems besetting the state until a proper solution is reached, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili.

He said the ministers would not only speak their mind in Cabinet to address the problem but the Sabah Barisan Nasional parties would also jointly submit a list of Sabahans who unfairly had their status changed because of technicalities.

The Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) deputy president said the issue of citizenship and the MyKad being issued to foreigners in Sabah were not new issues and the leaders viewed them seriously.

“PBS has been raising the problem for 15 years and has submitted thick and thin memoranda, and we always encourage the people to report identity theft.

“Some people feel (the cause of the irregularities) is technical and some feel it is by design,” he said.

Last month, the case of Yong Lee Hua, 78, who was issued a red identity card (PR status) to replace her blue IC which was stolen in a supermarket in Penampang, Sabah last year, was highlighted.

United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun and Murut Organisation (Upko) deputy president Datuk Seri Wilfred Bumburing even suggested that the party should review its position in Barisan if nothing is done to deal with “dubious issuance of MyKad to illegal immigrants via false statutory declaration” while a Sabahan was denied a replacement identity card.

Sepanggar MP Datuk Eric Majimbun, who revealed the illegal issuance of the MyKad, reiterated his call for a study on the 285% growth in population in Sabah over 30 years.

Dr Ongkili acknowledged that the Government was very serious about resolving the problem and said the National Registration Department had achieved some improvement in its efforts to curb it.

However, cases were still cropping up mainly due to technicalities that resulted in genuine citizens having their status downgraded, he said.

“But how many (are affected)? We need to compile this. This should not have happened. To be born a native of the land but later declared a permanent resident is a tremendous erosion of your rights.

“We will pursue this matter in the Cabinet and the Barisan parties in Sabah will submit a joint list of people whose status have been mistakenly downgraded,” he said.