KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan was slammed for his continuous criticism over the State Government’s effort to find permanent solution in relation to the existence of foreign workers in Sabah.
The Secretary General of Parti Warisan Sabah, Loretto Padua Jr. said the State Assemblyman of Tambunan, was trying hard to make provocative and speculative attacks over the practical effort made by the State Government to control the foreign workers in Sabah.
“Strangely, he is doing this whilst with his new found UMNO friends who did nothing on illegal workers and who let the illegal workers roam around unregulated,” he said adding that Jeffery was desperately seeking to confuse people by making up nonsensical allegations because he cannot explain why he chose to work with UMNO / BN.
“I reiterate that only a systematic cataloging through the issuance of the special pass can we finally stop the influx of illegal immigrants in the State and regulate their numbers more so the data on who are working in our industry today,” he said.
“Jeffrey’s friends in BN / UMNO never bothered on this and I put it to him on why he cannot even get a decent answer on what UMNO / BN did since 1994! At least Chief Minister Shafie Apdal is doing something practical after seeing successive Chief Ministers and BN/UMNO maintaining the same stance on non regulating these illegal immigrants.”
According to Padua, the special work-pass would enable them to track the movement of illegal immigrants in the State, corruption involving illegal immigrants would be reduced substantially and they would be able to collect levies appropriately besides sending / repatriate out those who were not qualified to receive special work passes.
“If there are illegal immigrants caught without the work pass, then off course, we will deport them back to the countries where they belong and which something Jeffrey’s friends did not bother to do other then mere once in a while deportation for news purposes only whilst hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants roam Sabah either with Jobs or without jobs,” he said in a statement today.
According to Padua, he assumed that Jeffrey may not be able to understand the whole issue of regulating illegal immigrant workers as this was not the giving of citizenship but a Work Pass so that the Government would be able to regulate them.
“All these may be too difficult to comprehend for Jeffrey while he has to explain to his supporters why he is with UMNO/BN in his ‘cause’!”
‘This is what Jeffrey many have opined failed, as a once trusted leader, to explain to his followers and instead, he took the opportunity to manipulate and create anger amongst Sabahans by giving a malicious and wrongful impression over the issue!”
“Jeffrey, this is regulating the illegal workers and NOT giving any Citizenship!”
“We need to strike a balance between the economic development in the State and our sovereignty and security by first of all, cataloguing these immigrants; if we cannot find the balance, then our plantation and construction sectors will collapse.”
“But I assume Jeffrey cannot again understand this so perhaps that is the reason why Sabah’s economy performed badly during the administration of PBS in the early 90s of which he (Jeffrey) was part of as the Managing Director of Yayasan Sabah,” he said.
Padua also said that he found it funny to see Jeffrey attacking Warisan on the matter while he hypocritically worked hand in hand with UMNO/BN!
“He slammed the State Government on this initiative but at the same time, he is happily sitting together with UMNO/BN leaders who created all this mess in the first place as a Government!”
If the issue on illegal immigrants is close to his heart, then he should not try to be the Savior for UMNO/BN Sabah under the guise of Kingmaker.
“In fact, Jeffrey is playing the same tune (on this issue) as what Umno and PAS is doing on the appointment of Tan Sri Richard Malanjum as the new Chief Justice of Malaysia.”
“Whether the appointment is related to MA63 or not, as a Sabahan, I believe Jeffrey should have checked himself in front of a mirror and acted humble by congratulating Tan Sri Richard instead of trying to make himself a Star with his ridiculous arguments.”
“Who is Jeffrey to steal the limelight away from Tan Sri Richard Malanjum?” he concluded.-pr/BN
