KOTA KINABALU: I have noted that the Minister of Internal Affairs has defended his intention to issue the identity card for “warga asing”!
We have Immigration laws and other laws to protect the sovereignty and Security of the country. We have enforcement authorities to enforce those laws.
When we decide not to enforce those laws, we are undermining our own country’s sovereignty and security!
Presently, we are still under attack by the Coronavirus Covid-19. We all consider that we at war with Covid-19! And every other country in the world is facing the same war!
We know that if we did not do anything to fight against the virus and in the pandemic situation we will all lose the war! Therefore, we have no choice but continue to fight the Covid-19 war!
I take the opportunity to thank all the doctors, nurses, scientists and front-liners who continuously move forward, non-stoppingly, and do their best to tackle and overcome the onslaught of the Covid-19 on all human beings throughout the world, including Malaysia.
In Malaysia, we have developed our own SOPs, and we have witnessed that our enforcement of the SOPs, the rules and regulations, emplaced to safeguard the Nation and its Citizens, can be efficiently and effectively carried out!
But when it comes to the immigration laws, rules and regulations, the strict enforcement that we all talk about and proudly show in enforcing our Covid-19 SOPs, rules and regulations had been forgotten !
It is no wonder then that we are now placed in a true dilemma created politically (do not forget PROJECT IC), and
strategically to undermine the feeling of Patriotism and love for one’s country, as well as the genuine care for its own citizens!
YES, we can talk about the citizens of the world! Yes, we are citizens of the world! But every world citizen belongs to different countries, each having its own sovereignty, laws, rules and regulations, especially Immigration and security laws!
Every country has its own duty and obligation to enforce the country’s laws.
And, so it is with Malaysia and Sabah! It is our sovereign and constitutional duty and responsibility to protect and safeguard our citizens from being invaded by irresponsible outsiders, illegal immigrants and undocumented foreigners, especially through subtle means, deception, and/or corruption!
And we, Malaysia, should not stir up the already murky water, and try to suggest doing something “fresh” in that murky water!
We should go Back to basics! Clear the murky water! Enforce the country’s immigration laws, strictly and patriotically, so that other countries will respect us, and will ensure that their own citizens DO NOT sneak out of their own country undocumented.
That is why Malaysia does not want to be “invaded” by people entering our country during the pandemic when these “people” or “citizens of the world” are unvaccinated!
Please, do not pretend to be kind-hearted by giving the foreigners the so-called “identity card”! Those who had been here, for a while, being the result of non-action by the relevant authorities, fall basically under two categories: 1) refugees, and 2) illegal immigrants!
The refugees should have been dealt with a long time ago by the Federal Government! I think we all know why no action was taken, and why no clear transparent direction has been planned. After the Civil War stopped in the southern Philippines, the refugees should have returned home! Or sent to third world countries, just like we dealt with the Vietnam refugees we kept on Bedong Island!
The illegal immigrants have received some approriate attention. Some have been given workpass when they managed to secure employment properly, some been regularised under the “Regularisation Program” and some are still detained awaiting deportation which is an ongoing programme of the government and is in accordance with the law except that the process is slow and in need of more money and closer quicker negotiation with the respective countries!
Already, it has been published Sabah alone has to spend more than RM13 million per year to keep the illegals detained!
We must respect our own laws. We must strictly enforce our Immigration laws, just like we strictly enforce our SOPs to save lives! We must not undermine our own laws! We must protect our sovereignty and the future of legitimate and genuine citizens!
Please do not undermine our patriotism, and genuine love for Keluarga Malaysia!
I am happy to Note that the Sabah State Cabinet has established a Cabinet Committee on the presence of foereigners and illegal immigrants.
I hope it is going to be a Permanent Committee with its own budget and manpower.
Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan,
Former PBS President
