PBS Wants Closer Scrutiny On Foreigners With M'sian ICs
Thursday, 12 June 2003 (Source : Bernama)

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Thursday called on the authorities to conduct thorough checks on foreigners who were in possession of Malaysian identity cards (ICs).

PBS secretary-general Datuk Radin Malleh said this was to ensure that the foreigners did not acquire the documents illegally.

"It is not (really) difficult to differentiate between a foreigner and a local based on their features, characters, dialects and spoken Malay," he said in a statement here.

Radin said this when commenting on Phase IV of "Ops Nyah II", held to flush out illegal immigrants in Sabah's 20 districts.

Thursday's news report said Tenom, located some 170km from here, remains the only district in the state which is free of illegal immigrants since the launch of the operation last May 29.

"I have reasons to believe that some foreigners from countries like Pakistan, India, Philippines and Indonesia now residing in Tenom district are illegal immigrants though they possess Malaysian ICs," he said.

Radin claimed some of the foreigners obtained their ICs illegally by using false declaration that they were born in Sabah.

Therefore, the authorities must thoroughly investigate the background of these foreigners as well as their declaration when they apply for Malaysian identity cards, he said.

Radin said the move would ensure that the foreigners obtained the ICs legally.