KUALA LUMPUR: The double standards exercised by the Federal government, the Home Ministry, the Immigration Department and the Sabah government on the B4G (Back for Good) and PSS (Pass Sementara Sabah) programs raises huge questions on the integrity and ulterior motive of the Federal and Sabah governments on the treatment of original Sabahans.
Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, Member of Parliament for Keningau and Assemblyman for Tambunan said this in a press statement released today.
The double standards practiced by the Federal government and supported by the current Sabah government is not only glaring but reeks of bad intention with ulterior motives, he said.
In the Immigration Department website, the B4G program is described as “An initiative by the Government of Malaysia giving opportunities to illegal immigrants that overstayed in Malaysia or those who stay in Malaysia without valid pass or permit to return home voluntarily with minimum penalty.”
It also states that those eligible to participate in the B4G are “overstayed foreigners” and those who “do not have any valid pass or permit in Malaysia”, he said.
Based on the program and those eligible, it is obvious that the illegal immigrants in Sabah qualify to join the B4G program, he stated adding that those eligible only need to pay a RM700 penalty and can go back to their home countries without being arrested or charged.
“It further states that those who refuse to participate will be arrested and stern action taken including ‘imprisonment, whipping and fines’.”
“However, at the end of the web-page, it is stated that the program is only applicable in Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia) and Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan are excluded,” he stressed
“Why, then if the program is so good and meant for Malaysia but illegal immigrants in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan are excluded” he queried.
To make matter worse and adding to speculations on the hidden agenda, a separate pass, the Sabah Temporary Pass or Pas Sementara Sabah (PSS) is introduced for illegal immigrants in Sabah allowing them to stay and work for a minimum of 3 years and renewal every 3 years, he said.
“According to the Deputy Home Minister who is from Sabah Warisan, the PSS can be renewal up to a 100-years without any limit or restriction and holders are eligible to apply for citizenship.”
“In other words, PSS holders, who are stateless, become residents of Malaysia and their children are entitled to be registered as Malaysian citizens under the Federal Constitution.”
There lies the hidden agenda of granting citizenships to illegal immigrants with the issuance of the PSS to replace IMM13 who are foreigners and allowed to remain as refugees and by law are not residents and are not domiciled in Malaysia, he opined.
Worse still are the PSS for “kad burung-burung” and “kad bancian” who are all foreigners but automatically become residents and entitling their children who are born in Malaysia to become Malaysian citizens under the Federal Constitution.
Perhaps, this is the basis in which it has often been repeated that the PSS will resolve the illegal immigrants’ problem in Sabah, he said.
“By giving them status as residents and then making them Malaysian citizens, eventually, there will be no more illegals in Sabah.”
“Let’s leave the issue of citizenship which is a separate matter altogether as we deal with the double standards on the B4G and PSS.”
“Why then should the Federal government issue the PSS for illegal immigrants in Sabah and not have the PSS to be a “Pas Sementara Malaysia (PSM)” and open to all illegals in Malaysia. At the same time, the PSM will allow illegals in Sabah to be entitled to reside in Malaya.”
“With the PSM, Malaysia will be come truly Asia or maybe “Malaysia Truly Global” with Visit Malaysia Truly Asia 2020 and allowing all foreigners to overstay and apply to become PSM holders.”
“In addition, the PSS is becoming an open invitation for foreigners especially from the Southern Philippines and Indonesia to sneak into Sabah.”
“It is not surprising as ESSCOM has been reporting that there are arrests of foreigners every week in the East Coast of Sabah. The foreigners have also brought with them diseases such as tuberculosis and polio, the latter of which was eradicated only to re-surface from Philippines.”
He went on to say that allowing the PSS holders to work, although welcome by some, is also not entirely correct legally as they will by-pass and break every regulation and law relating to employment of foreigners which business would have to comply with ordinarily.
If the Federal government and the Pakatan Harapan so welcomes the illegals in Sabah, at least 90% of them should be allowed to reside in Putrajaya which has only 27,306 voters and the other 11 States of Malaya, he said.
“Earlier this year, the Home Ministry took action to revoke and cancel MyKads obtained by foreigners illegally through syndicates in Penang with insiders in JPN.”
However, no such action was taken to cancel fake ICs given in Sabah when recent incidents of syndicates with the help of JPN insiders were caught with supplying fake ICs, Jeffery said adding there were no further investigations done on the fake ICs issued by them and no action was reported to be taken on these fake ICs.
“Worse still, the RCI Report on Illegal Immigrants in Sabah had clearly found that hundreds of thousands were given ICs not in accordance with the law and ineligible foreigners wrongfully entered into the electoral rolls. However, to-date no action were taken to revoke and cancel the illegally obtained ICs or to remove them from the electoral rolls.”
Now, the double standards arising from the B4G and PSS clearly supports the views of Sabahans opposed to the PSS, Jeffery stressed.
The Federal government by their own actions cannot blame the genuine Sabahans opposed to the PSS and its implementation.
Considering the double standards and the problems associated with the PSS, it is only appropriate for the Federal government and call off its implementation and extend the B4G program to illegals in Sabah, he opined.-pr/BNN
