KOTA KINABALU: The Warisan-led State Government’s stand on the identity card (IC) issue in Sabah is unclear.
Sabah UMNO Wanita wing Chief Datuk Hajah Jainab Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Ahmad Ayid, said there seemed to be contradicting and confusing statements made by both Parti Warisan Sabah Deputy President Darell Leiking and UPKO Acting President Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Madius Tangau on the matter.
“Leiking was reported to have proposed for an additional identification card for genuine Sabahans without recalling the existing MyKad issued in Sabah, while Tangau on the other hand proposed to recall the MyKads issued for Sabahans and re-issuing them with Sabah IC…so what is it actually?” asked Jainab.
The Sepanggar UMNO Wanita Chief was referring to recent news quoting Tangau as saying that UPKO wanted to recall and carry out reapplication of ICs in Sabah.
He also said that the issuance of Sabah IC was “special and close to our hearts” and that the party had been pursuing it all along and continue to pursue until it was realised.
Tangau said this in response to Leiking, the International Trade and Industry Minister, who said that he hoped to see this proposed Sabah IC materialise under the new State Government.
But Leiking said he was not proposing for the recall of MyKads but just issuance of an additional IC for genuine Sabahans.
Leiking said the measure would not affect MyKad as MyKad was proof of citizenship, whereas the proposed Sabah IC, if the government implemented it, would be an identification for genuine Sabahans.
Leiking said the recalling of existing MyKads for reissuance was impractical due to possible legal implications.
Tangau said that the process of recalling and reissuing MyKads could be done as the Malaysian ICs have been changed many times.
“You see, what actually is the Warisan-led State Government’s stand on this issue?What does it wanr to do…please don’t just say that to please the Sabahans, but in the end nothing positive come out of it,” said Jainab.
“I think both parties are just trying to tell and please the people of Sabah on the issue, so the people will stop asking for solution to the issue,” she added.
Meanwhile, Jainab said Warisan should not play “throw-rock-and-hide” game with the people over the former Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman matter.
“It is very clear that Warisan was on a witch-hunt against Musa and acting like a bully by trying to dictate the country’s enforcement agencies on what to do …the Warisan leaders concerned all stated it and they were reported in the news, so who actually is trying to fool the people here,” she said in response to Warisan Secretary-General Loretto Padua Jr who was reported recently as denying there is a witch-hunt against Musa.
Loretto, who was responding to Hajiji’s accusation against the party, had said that there is no witch-hunt as claimed by Sabah UMNO Liaison Chairman Datuk Seri Haji Hajiji Haji Noor but postulated that the latter could be in denial and failed to realise that in the new Malaysia there was no abuse of power which had been so rampant during the UMNO era.
Padua said that Hajiji’s claim of Warisan to be a bully and dictating the authorities on what to do is an illogical argument because if that were the case, then “why would we take the trouble to make media statements if we are a powerless Government?”
Padua also said that Warisan was very dissatisfied with how Musa was accorded special treatment by the State Police Chief Datuk Ramli Din and the Immigration Department upon his return to Malaysia.
Sabah UMNO had accused Warisan of going on a witch-hunt against Musa, that the party leaders were putting pressure on the enforcement agencies.
Hajiji had said that the authorities should be allowed to do their job without fear or favour, and that such harassment by Warisan leaders was tantamount to abuse of power.
Supporting Hajiji’s statement, Jainab told Warisan just to be patient and wait, let the authorities do their respective jobs without any interference. – By LSK/BNN
