Malaysianised & Bumiputrnisation of PTIs

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Detained 'Indian national' in Sabah says he's Malaysian

A Muslim specialty restauranter Mohd Kani Majid, 43, who has been held since April 20 at the Rumah Merah (Red House), the detention centre in Menggatal for illegal immigrants, is emerging as a test case of sorts for "Malaysians" stripped of their "citizenship" and earmarked for deportation to their "determined countries of origin".

Menggatal is in the outskirts of Kota Kinabalu but within the city limits.Majid, who holds a "valid" MyKad and has voted thrice so far in the general elections, has lodged an application with the High Court in Kota Kinabalu for a revision of his Detention Order.

He listed himself in the application as a tax payer, contributor to the EPF (Employers Provident Fund) and is listed in the latest (2009) revised electoral rolls.He first registered as a voter in 1999, according to the application.His counsel, P. J. Perira and Ram Singh, have filed for a Certificate of Urgency for the case to be expedited given their client's continued detention.

Majid was arrested at his 24-hour restaurant, Kedai Kopi Jamiyah in Inanam, in the outskirts of Kota Kinabalu, by Malaysian Immigration authorities. Apparently, the arresting officers determined that he was in fact an Indian national and not a Malaysian as claimed.It is not known whether he was held during a campaign by the Immigration Department, a routine inspection or whether they were acting on a tip-off.

The restaurant has been in operation since 1999 with a valid licence issued by City Hall.Briefly, in filing for the revision, Majid wants the High Court to determine the "correctness, legality or propriety of the Immigration Department remand or continuing remand".

He claims that he's entitled to the MyKad that he's currently holding.Further, he argues that if the authorities believe his MyKad was obtained fraudulently, or through misrepresentation, then they should refer the matter to the Home Affairs Ministry under Article 27 of the Federal Constitution for a Notice of Enquiry to be held.

The National Registration Department (NRD), he points out, did not charge him under Section 25 (1)(e) of the National Registration Regulations 1990 for an alleged offence i.e. having a fake MyKad, or if it was a genuine MyKad, being in its possession when he was not entitled to have one.No charges preferred

The Immigration Department, which arrested him, did not charge with any offence either, continues Majid in his pleadings.Instead, he alleged, the Immigration Department "forced" him to apply for an Indian passport after seizing his Malaysian International Passport which is still valid.The authorities, he complains, had also failed to comply with Article 5(3) and (4) of the Federal Constitution and inform him or his family members officially of the grounds of his arrest.

The Revision has also been served on the Immigration Sabah Director, Immigration Department Deputy Public Prosecutor, senior Federal Counsel, and the Home Affairs Ministry's Legal Advisor in Putra Jaya, the Federal Administrative Centre.Records kept by Perira and Singh show that they wrote to the Home Affairs Ministry on July 27 on the detention of Majid. Copies of the letter were extended to the NRD Director General, Immigration Director General, MACC (Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission) Chairman and the Suhakam (Malaysian Human Rights Commission) Chairman.Only the NRD Director General replied, on July 29, saying that the matter would be referred to the NRD Sabah in Kota Kinabalu.

The lawyers wrote on Aug 7 to the Prime Minister to bring Majid's continued detention to his attention.Copes of the letter were extended to the NRD Director General, the Immigration Director General, the MACC Chairman and the Attorney General.Only the AG's Chambers responded on Aug 12 saying that they had forwarded the letter to the Home Affairs Legal Department.Earlier, on Aug 6, the lawyers wrote to the Immigration Sabah Director requesting for documents in regard to Majid's continued detention. opies of the letter were extended to the Immigration Director General, the NRD Director General and the AG's Chambers. There was no reply. On Aug 12, they wrote again to the Immigration Sabah Director with copies to the same parties.Again, there was no reply.

According to the facts of the case according to the lawyers, Majid arrived in Sabah from India in 1983 and worked as a restaurant helper in Papar along the west coast, an hour's drive south of Kota Kinabalu.

Ten years later, in 1993, he applied for a Malaysian identity card (IC) through the district NRD office under the IC Projek Pedalaman (Interior Division IC Project).It was not immediately clear what personal documents he used to apply for the Malaysian IC.

He claimed that some 100 other Indians and Pakistanis applied for the same document (IC) together with him.Majid claims that he obtained the IC through the NRD Papar sometime in 1993/94 and issued by the NRD in Kota Kinabalu.
It is not known whether the other 100 Indian and Pakistani applicants with him received Malaysian Identity Cards as well. Upon receipt of his Malaysian IC, Majid claims that he surrendered his Indian passport to the authorities.

It is not known to which authority.Majid claims that to satisfy himself that his Malaysian IC was genuine, he wrote to the NRD Sabah for verification of his document.He claims receiving a letter from the NRD dated Nov 4, 1994, informing him that his Malaysian IC was genuine.

He also claims to be in possession of a letter from the NRD Sabah bearing the signature of the then Deputy Director, Mohd Nasir Sungip. It is also not known what made Majid doubt the authenticity of his Malaysian IC although he claimed to have collected it from the NRD Papar.Less than a year later, Majid applied for and was issued a Malaysian International Passport on June 20, 1995.

Majid married an Indian citizen in 1997.She arrived on an Indian passport and has been staying in Sabah on a Visa under Section 11(10) of the Immigration Regulations 1963.The couple have three children. The eldest, 11, was born in India and holds a Dependant Pass. The other two children, aged 10 and 7, were born in Sabah.

Anti illegal immigration activists in Sabah are watching the Majid case closely.They recall that Indian restaurants in the state and their association had been in the news not so long ago for harbouring illegals and those with dubious Malaysian documents.

Source - National Express of Malaysia

Reading from the above, now the children of Mohd Kani Majid would definitely be branded as "Melayu & Bumiputra"...................who is going to save Sabah......UMNO and All UMNOed BN, I think not.......

If you Sabahan do not stand up now, I think definitely the Ori Sabahan will be label as PTIs....

Open this link for more stories http://mutalibmd.blogspot.com/2009/03/pendatang-haram-india-di-sabah.html

Detained 'Indian national' in Sabah says he's Malaysian

Thursday, August 27, 2009
Detained 'Indian national' in Sabah says he's
Malaysian
According to the facts of the case according to the lawyers, Majid arrived in Sabah from India in 1983 and worked as a restaurant helper in Papar along the west coast, an hour's drive south of Kota Kinabalu.

Ten years later, in 1993, he applied for a Malaysian identity card (IC) through the district NRD office under the IC Projek Pedalaman (Interior Division IC
Project).

It was not immediately clear what personal documents he used to apply for the Malaysian IC.

Question No. 1 - How many people like him got their citizenship this way?
Question No. 2 - Based on what criteria he acquired citizenship?
Question No. 3 - Projek Pedalaman (Interior Division IC Project) is meant for true locals born here without documents i.e. the indigenous bumiputras...Not meant for foreigners!

Another Parachuted Bumiputra direct from in India.................Sabahan we are doomed.

Nobody seem to be bother by this

But for Real Sabahan......

CITIZENSHIP PENDING SINCE 1963


Written by Admin
Sunday, 30 August 2009 19:49

By: JOE FERNANDEZ

POLITICIANS across both sides of the divide in Sabah want a Special Task Force for Sabah (STF), headed by a local, "to expedite the backlog of citizenship applications lodged since Malaysia Day in 1963 and ease other similar bottlenecks as well."

A Sabahan, it is suggested, "would be in a better position to understand the situation in the state." The call for the STF follows the belated discovery that the Sabah National Registration Department (NRD) acts more as "a remote post office" and is kept completely out of the picture by Putrajaya. There is some public suspicion that the status of the Sabah NRD has in fact been further downgraded since the appointment of a local head, for the first time, recently.

The Sabah NRD's lowly status was discovered in recent days when 50 elderly applicants for citizenship queried their current status through the Sabah Peoples Progressive Party (Sapp).

Another 137 applicants approached the Sabah MCA for help with their citizenship applications, permanent residence and MyKads, according to Edward Khoo, the state liaison chief. "The NRD here (in Kota Kinabalu) doesn't even know about these pending cases. They don't have records.

At least, they should be keeping track of the applications," fumed Sapp Wanita chief Melanie Chia (Luyang). "Many of these people are already in the 80s and are still holding their red IC (permanent residence)." Chia claims that citizenship, by virtue of the Malaysia Agreement, "is automatic via the merger of territories - for those who were in Sabah before Malaysia Day."

The implication drawn is that the applications have not been approved for some reason ignorance and a mindless bureaucracy is hinted at and is unlikely to be approved, given the passage of time, despite the Malaysia Agreement.

Her views were echoed by Sapp deputy presidents Liew Teck Chan (Likas) and Eric Majimbun (MP for Sepangar) who is among those who raised the idea of the STF and also a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the NRD and the extraordinary 301 percent rise in the number of 'Malaysians' in Sabah since 1970.

Majimbun disclosed that he had in fact raised the idea of the STF is "should also look into delays encountered by Sabahans, generally those living in the rural areas, in applying for MyKads." Parents' status a stumbling block He lamented the fact that "many natives in the rural areas were in fact in the category of stateless people", being either without birth certificates, the case with the elderly, or without MyKads in the case of the young even if they had birth certificates..

The stateless status of their parents remains the stumbling block. Majimbun noted the formation, not so long ago, of a 60-strong STF at the NRD in Putrajaya to deal with the backlog of applications. However, Sabahans are generally not impressed with what it has done for the state so far. Hence, the call for a STF just for Sabah.

The Putrajaya STF (PJ-STF), according to its KPI (Key Performance Index), has "cleared" 50 percent of the 32, 900 applications for citizenship received before 2008. It is not known how many of these applications have been approved. The PJ-STF has pledged to "clear the backlog by the end of this year."

It has been estimated in the past that 30,000 Sabahans alone are not Malaysians. Besides, the NRD receives 500 applications daily for citizenship and has a backlog of 16,000 appeals alone for entry permits, the first step on the road to permanent residence.

These applications, rejected by the Immigration Department without assigning any reason whatsoever, are from foreigners who have family in Malaysia. The numbers include foreigners married to Malaysians.. "Once the applications reach Putrajaya, virtually nothing is done," disclosed former Sabah chief minister Chong Kah Kiat, citing his personal experience during his term in office. "I had to personally see (former premier Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad) to get approval for 300 applications for Permanent Residence in Sabah from foreigners."

"These applications were from people, mostly professionals like doctors, who had been in the state for up to 30 years. The state government had approved their applications but they were held up at the federal level for no rhyme or reason by ignorant civil servants. It's a mindset problem in Putrajaya."

No identity documents Moyog (Upko) state assemblyperson Donald Mojuntin likewise cited his personal experience with applicants in Kibabaig in Penampang, Beluran and Kota Marudu. Mojuntin heads Upko's citizenship and security bureau. Upko stands for United Pasok Momogun KadazanDusunMurut Organisation. Pasok is the Dusun term for Natives and Momogun for non-Natives. The Kadazan are urban Dusuns.

"Among the problems is that many people have no form of identity documents including birth certificates," said Mojuntin who is also the assistant Finance Minister, a job he secured when Sapp pulled out from the BN on Sept 17 last year. "Then, there were teenagers and as well as adults – the stateless category - who only had birth certificates."

One fear among Sabahans and their political leaders alike is that the applications for citizenship dating back to 1963 may either be "missing in action" by now or "even thrown away after some time." In that case, the onus will be on the applicants to prove that they did indeed follow-up on their applications at regular intervals, according to a source in Sabah NRD.

"Even acknowledgment slips of applications received by the NRD are not good enough for them to press their case. If you merely file an application and just back and wait, you may be waiting forever. Nothing will happen in most cases." In many cases, the applicants apparently went to their graves with their citizenship applications still pending, or ironically, had them approved only after they had passed on.

It is pointed out that the officers handling the citizenship applications lodged in 1963 at the NRD would have long retired from service and perhaps even passed on. Still, "hope springs eternal in the human breast" in Sabah, judging by the spectacle of 80-year-olds approaching their legislators for assistance in securing their citizenship papers. Cynics can't help but wonder with wry humour why 80-year-olds, "with one foot already in the grave", still need their Malaysian citizenship papers "since this definitely won't be an issue where they are going."

Lawyers in the know suggest that "not clearing one's citizenship status could affect as well family members who follow since the policies keep changing arbitrarily." Children appear to take their citizenship status, according to tightened policies in recent years, from both their parents, at least in Sabah. Nevertheless, Chia like the others, remains undeterred. For them, "it's also an issue of principle", no matter how long it takes. She expressed surprise and extreme disappointment that the NRD hasn't been able to settle the pending cases, one way or other, despite the passage of nearly five decades .

Source - Sabahkini.net

But an Indian by the name of Majid, within 10 years got his MYcard

Sabah Project IC, Is it a myth or is it for real?

Project IC

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Project IC is the name used in Malaysia to describe the allegation of systematic granting of citizenship to immigrants (whether illegal or legal immigrants) by giving them identity documents known as IC (identity card), and subsequently, MyKad. The alleged practice is centered in the state of Sabah in East Malaysia. The term is used mainly by the media as well as other political commentators and the general public. Another term used is Project M, where "M" stood for Mahathir Mohamad, the former prime minister of Malaysia due to his being allegedly involved in the spearheading of this project. The alleged object of Project IC is to alter the demographic pattern of Sabah to make it more favorable to the ruling government and certain political parties, especially with regards to changing the electoral voting patterns.

The project, in its widespread and intensive form, is suspected to have begun in the early 1990s after the entry of United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) into Sabah politics. However, there were also allegations of mass immigration and naturalization of migrants in the 1970s under the United Sabah National Organization (USNO) government, and in the early 1980s under BERJAYA government. On a nationwide scale, illegal immigration is a major social issue. The problem is linked with alleged phantom voters also seen in other parts of Malaysia during elections.

Contents
1 Background
2 Modus operandi
3 Government actions
4 References

Background
Sabah together with Sarawak, Singapore, and Malaya together formed the federation of Malaysia on September 16, 1963. Sabah was multiracial state with no clear majority race, but with the Kadazandusun as the largest ethnic group. Unlike other states in Peninsular Malaysia, the majority of natives or bumiputras in Sabah are non-Muslims. In 1960, the state comprised:

32% Kadazandusuns,

4.9% Muruts,

0.4% Malays,

13.1% Bajaus,

23% Chinese,

15.8% Other Muslims,

5.5% Indonesians, and

1.6% Filipinos.

Based on this ethnic composition, the Kadazandusun dominated the political scene and the first chief minister appointed was Tun Fuad Stephens, a Kadazandusun. Tun Fuad played an important role in the negotiations involving the independence of Sabah together with Tun Mustapha, a Bajau. After the formation, Tun Mustapha was made governor (Yang di-Pertua Negeri). Subsequent to this, various political parties, mostly racially-based, took turns in helming government.

Tun Mustapha's United Sabah National Organization (USNO) took control of the state in 1967. The mainly Bajau Muslim party relied on Muslim votes in elections. Similarly for other Kadazan-based party or Chinese-based party, who rely on votes from their respective communities.

Later, BERJAYA took control of the state. This party was more multiracial in its composition of member, but was headed by Muslim leaders such as Harris Salleh.

There had been allegations of mass naturalization of illegal immigrants during the tenure of Tun Mustapha and Harris Salleh. There was even one instance of Harris Salleh openly admitting to carrying out and planning to overwhelm the demography of Sabah in favor of Muslims.

Meanwhile on a national level, politics were dominated by UMNO, a Malay-based party. Both USNO and BERJAYA had worked closely with UMNO at certain points in history. In 1985, a largely Kadazandusun party, Parti Bersatu Sabah, won in the state election that year.

The 1986 Sabah riots ensued in shortly after the results were announced to bring down the party president, Joseph Pairin Kitingan, as chief minister. In 1990, BERJAYA and USNO, decided to dissolve their party and form the Sabah chapter of UMNO. This party relied on membership from Muslim citizens of Sabah, be they Bajau, Suluk, Bugis, or others.

The practice of naturalizing immigrants was further intensified to guarantee their dominance in Sabah. They realised a great potential in altering the demography in their favor since most immigrants into Sabah were Muslims from Indonesia and southern Philippines. Later in 1994, UMNO managed to get hold of the government despite losing in the elections that year.

In 2006, the estimated ethnic composition of Sabah are as follows:

17.76% Kadazandusuns,

3.3% Muruts,

11.48% Malays,

13.4% Bajaus,

9.6% Chinese,

14.62% Other Bumiputras,

4.8% Others,

25% Non-citizens

Project IC is not so concerned with the 25% of non-citizens as this denotes immigrants without Malaysian ICs.

The main point of contention when comparing the statistics for 1960 and 2006 is with regards to the sharp increase of "Malays", as well as the large number of "Other Bumiputras".

There is also the significant drop in the percentage of the non-Muslim population, namely, Kadazandusuns, Muruts, and Chinese. After Barisan Nasional regained power in 1994, the rotation system was introduced, whereby the chief minister's post is rotated among the representatives of the three different communities in Sabah, namely, the Muslim Bumiputras, Non-Muslim Bumiputras, and the Chinese. However, after 2005, BN decided to do away with the rotation system, giving the post to UMNO's representative, led by current chief minister Musa Aman. Following the 2008 state election, BN currently controls the state winning 59 out of 60 state assembly seats on offer. Out of the 59 BN seats, 32 are from UMNO, while the rest are held by various predominantly non-Muslim parties.


Modus operandi

The project is a complex matter involving certain political parties as well as various government agencies including the Election Commission of Malaysia, the National Registration Department and the Immigration Department, which comes under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The suspicions and allegations on the existence of Project IC started in around the mid-1990s.

In 1999, a petition was made to nullify the results of the 1999 state election for the constituency of Likas based on the existence of thousands of dubious names found on the electoral roll. The seat was won by Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) candidate, President, and former chief minister, Yong Teck Lee. SAPP is part of the Barisan Nasional coalition.

The petitioner was Chong Eng Leong of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), who lost in that seat. PBS was at that time not part of the BN coalition. One of the witness at the petition was Mutalib Mohd Daud, the former Silam Umno Division Executive Secretary. Mutalib was from Peninsula Malaysia who migrated to Sabah in the 1970s.

He noted at the petition that among the 43,000 newly recruited UMNO members only 14,000 had genuine identity cards. Mutalib had also written a number of books exposing accounts of questionable granting of citizenship to foreigners. Among his books were, IC Palsu: Merampas Hak Anak Sabah (1999) (Fake IC: Taking Away the Rights of Sabahans), Pengundi Untuk Disewa (Voters for Rent), IC Projek Agenda Tersembunyi Mahathir?'" (2006) (IC Project, Mahathir's Hidden Agenda?), 007 Lelaki Malaysia Terakhir (2007) (The Last Malaysian).

Another witness was UMNO's Chief Information Officer Karim bin Ghani who was alleged to have written a letter to all UMNO branches in Sabah. The letter purportedly contained directions on the handling of Project IC. Karim claimed that he did not write the letter and that his signature was forged. The judge however viewed his bare denial with deep suspicion.

The judge presiding the petition, Justice Muhammad Kamil bin Awang, ruled in favour of the petitioner and declared that the 1999 election result for Likas a nullity. He also mentioned in his judgement that he had received instructions over the phone to have the petitions struck out without hearing—an instruction which he dutifully ignored.

In 2007, the former Sandakan district chief Hassnar Ebrahim made a statement confessing being involved in Project IC. He was a former detainee of the Internal Security Act in 1998. He also testified in the petition for the annulment of the Likas state assembly district election in 1999.

Hassnar had exposed in specific details of the modus operandi of project of which he had witnessed. He mentioned a secret meeting between former Sabah chief minister Harris Salleh and Federal Minister Megat Junid Megat Ayub in Hong Kong. Hassnar claimed that 130,000 illegal immigrants were given ICs in 1985 alone. He also claimed that the aim of the operation was to increase the Muslim population of Sabah.

It has been said that the project was a secret policy of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, in particular United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), in order to attain political domination in the state using the votes of these immigrants.

The immigrants are picked from those communities which would more closely resemble the Malay culture, or those who would most easily be assimilated into Malay culture. Main indicators would be if the immigrants were Muslims and if they speak Malay. It was acknowledged by the judge in the 1999 Likas petition in reference to Ops Gembeling, that the target of the operation were the "Malays of Bugis origin".

In response to a 2007 Parliamentary Select Committee, popular Malaysian news blog Malaysia Today alleges that UMNO had made a deal with the government of Libya and the Abu Sayyaf militant Islamic group in the Philippines to bring in 1 million new Muslim voters from Philippines into Sabah.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice president Jeffrey Kitingan alleges that there are 600,000 immigrants with ICs out of an estimated 1.7 million foreigners in Sabah. The estimated population in Sabah in 2006 was 2,997,000.[5] Most of the foreigners in Sabah are from Indonesia and the Philippines.


Government actions

Throughout the 1990s, several government officers were arrested under the Internal Security Act for their involvements in Project IC. A Parliamentary Select Committee on Integrity was set up to hear testimonies of some of the detainees in February 2007.

The committee was chaired by Sabah Member of Parliament Bernard Dompok. On May 16, 2007, Dompok quit as chairman of the committee over disagreements on the function and scope of the commitee, in particular, over the refusal of the National Registration Department to appear before the committee. Later on, the findings of the committee was never made public.

In May 2008, Member of Parliament (MP) Lim Kit Siang tabled a motion to set up a Royal Commission to investigate the problems relating to illegal immigrants in Sabah.

The motion however was rejected by the Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat Ronald Kiandee saying that the motion was irrelevant and was tabled at the wrong time.

Several MPs from Sabah gave lukewarm response towards the proposed motion preferring instead a Parliamentary Select Committee which would necessitate the involvement of elected MPs, especially from Sabah. Subsequently, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced the setting up of a high powered cabinet committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to resolve this matter.

However, senior Sabahan politician Chong Eng Leong argued that similar committees had been set up in 2000 and 2006 without much results. The Consumers Association of Sabah and Labuan (CASH) contends that the announcement of, among others, the setting up of the cabinet committee, was a mere lip service to pacify the people of Sabah.

There has been several government crackdown operation to deport illegal immigrants since the 1990s. The latest crackdown is due to begin in August 2008.

These operations will serve to deport immigrants without proper documentations such as ICs or a valid work permit. It does not serve to address the issue of Project IC.

References
^ "SPECIAL REPORT: Sabah's Project M" (fee required), Malaysiakini (June 27, 2006). Retrieved on 23 April 2008.
^ "Proof is everywhere, Salleh told", Daily Express (December 19, 2006). Retrieved on 23 April 2008.
^ Mutalib M.D. "IC Projek Agenda Tersembunyi Mahathir?" (2006)
^ a b c d e f Sadiq, Kamal (2005). "When States Prefer Non-Citizens Over Citizens: Conflict Over Illegal Immigration into Malaysia" (PDF). International Studies Quarterly 49: 101-122. http://www.cri.uci.edu/pdf/ISQ2005FinalCopy.pdf. Retrieved on 23 April 2008.
^ a b "Monthly Statistical Bulletin, January 2007: Sabah", Department of Statistics Malaysia, ISSN 18231659
^ "2004 seats formula: CM", Daily Express (February 14, 2008). Retrieved on 28 April 2008.
^ a b c d "Phantoms on the Roll in Sabah: Judgment by Justice Datuk Hj Muhammad Kamil bin Awang on Election Petition No K11 of 1999". Aliran Monthly. Retrieved on 2008-04-24.
^ a b "'Express reports true'", Daily Express (Sabah) (January 20, 2007). Retrieved on 23 April 2008.
^ "Harris, Megat Junid implicated In ‘Project IC’", Borneo Post. Retrieved on 28 April 2008.
^ a b "Stuff Hollywood movie scripts are made of (part 1)". Malaysia Today (March 4, 2007). Retrieved on 2008-06-04.
^ "Dompok and Nazri disagree over function of integrity panel", The Star (May 18, 2007). Retrieved on 1 August 2008.
^ "Bernard quits parliamentary integrity panel", The Sun (May 16, 2007). Retrieved on 1 August 2008.
^ "Kiandee stops Kit Siang’s bid", The Star (May 23, 2008). Retrieved on 4 June 2008.
^ "Sabah MPs prefer select committee", The Star (May 24, 2008). Retrieved on 4 June 2008.
^ "Project IC: PM's cabinet committee not new, says PBS leader" (fee required), Malaysiakini.com (June 2, 2008). Retrieved on 4 June 2008.
^ "“Goodies” a lip service to pacify people: CASH", New Sabah Times (June 3, 2008). Retrieved on 4 June 2008.
^ "Crackdown on illegal immigrants in Sabah to start in August", The Star (July 17, 2008). Retrieved on 1 August 2008.

Source : Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Is project IC a myth or is it for real? How is it Non Sabahan and Non Malaysia knows and are more concern that Sabahan. Even the Deputy Parliment Speaker, Ronald Kiandee, himself a Sabahan, rejected the motion on the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the ground that the RCI motion " was irrelevant.

KK Umno: Illegals should apply for citizenship

DAILY EXPRESS NEWS
-----------------------------------------------
KK Umno: Illegals should apply for citizenship
21 December, 2006
Kota Kinabalu: Steps must be taken to educate foreigners, especially illegal immigrants "who love Sabah very much" that there are proper procedures to apply for citizenship," said Umno Kota Kinabalu Youth.

"We should educate these illegals who 'love Sabah very much' that there are proper procedures to apply for citizenship. It is better to have real citizenship although the process to get it is slow.

"Compared to 'fast citizenship', which is not guaranteed and most of the times a scam," said its chief, Bahrul Razha Hj Chuprat in a statement, Wednesday.

He said Umno Kota Kinabalu Youth believe there is also a need to educate immigrants with expired visas to return home for revalidation of their visas, enabling them to return to Sabah to seek re-employment.

"We should educate these immigrants that foreign workers with valid visas can enjoy better benefits compared to illegal workers," he said.

At the same time, he said awareness must be created among the locals so that they shed the mentality of "cepat kaya" (making fast bucks) by employing or "sometime exploiting these illegal immigrants as cheap labour".

The locals must also be educated to discard the mentality of renting houses or rooms to these illegal immigrants and sometimes exploiting them by offering poor condition accommodation, he said.

Lastly, Bahrul said, "we should educate our own people not to have the mentality of "cepat kaya" by Ali Baba-ing (sub-contracting) their licences to these illegal immigrants who might not even know the rules and regulations governing the licence.

Daily Express

Seem like Umno Kota Kinabalu Youth is aknowledging there is some fast track citizenship given to illegals....

Aliens in East Malaysia

Aliens in East Malaysia
Posted by St Low
Tuesday, 14 October 2008 09:21
By Sim Kwang Yang, The Nut Graph

TO those in the Klang Valley who read papers like The Star and The New Straits Times, Sabah must sound like the remote edge of the nation. It is out there, a huge chunk of real estate inhabited by exotic people speaking a strange version of Bahasa Malaysia.
Therefore, it would not be so clear to those participating in the national narrative why Sabahans make such a big deal about illegal immigrants. Are they not in all corners of the nation, numbering in the millions, working in jobs deemed neither lucrative nor respectable enough by Malaysian citizens?

Unfortunately, the national narrative does not always take into account the meek voices of Sabahans. Their problems are often considered too parochial to be of national concern.

Ask any Sabahan though, and he or she will tell you that there is no greater security and social problem facing Sabah today than that of illegal aliens. It is a daily nightmare that Sabahans have to live through and watch helplessly as it reels out of control.


(© Charlie Bishop/Dreamstime)Exactly how many illegal immigrants there are in Sabah is anybody's guess. I have been told by a friend from Sabah that one in every two persons in the state could be an illegal alien.

Immigrant facts and figures

Recently, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) deputy president and Member of Parliament (MP) for Sepanggar Datuk Eric Majimbun expressed shock at discovering a MyKad bearing his surname and address.

He was shocked because the card belonged to a Filipino illegal immigrant.

According to news reports, Majimbun said based on the 1970-2000 census, the population in Sabah increased from 636,431 to 2,449,389 (285%) over 30 years. Compare this with Sarawak's 106% (from 976,269 to 2,012,616) and Peninsula Malaysia's 113% (from 10,439,430 to 22,202,614).

He also queried census conducted by the government in Sabah, which showed a 236% increase in the Kadazandusun population between 1960 and 2000. For other bumiputera, it increased by 631%.

The figures tell the story. In Sabah, as in Sarawak, the Malay/Muslim population forms a small minority, an anomaly within the context of Malay dominance demanded by the nationalist narrative of Umno. The politics of race is the politics of counting heads, and by that logic, the chief minister of Sabah cannot be a Malay leader.

The rumour that has been going round in Sabah for decades is that certain politicians have been facilitating an increase in the Muslim population. These politicians allegedly engineer the issuance of Malaysian identity cards to illegal immigrants from the Muslim south of the Philippines and neighbouring Indonesia. This would dilute and therefore marginalise the political significance of the non-Muslim Kadazandusun people of Sabah.
Permanent resident status

Whenever there is uproar in Kota Kinabalu about the dangerous presence of these illegal immigrants, the federal government sends in a task force of sorts. A few thousand of these aliens are then deported. When the furore dies down, these deported foreigners can re-enter Sabah by the next boat or ferry.

To add insult to injury, native Sabahans who try to replace their old ICs with MyKad have been demoted to permanent resident status. This denies them the chance to even vote.

I have been to Sabah many times. In cities and suburbs, there are pockets with almost exclusive Filipino populations that sound, look, and smell more like a slum in Manila or Zamboanga than a piece of Malaysian soil.[color=#FF0000]For Sabahans, the massive and ubiquitous presence of these illegal immigrants feels like an alien growth in their body. Being so muted and so far away, their unease is not shared by Malaysians elsewhere.[/color]
The gravity of this issue drove the SAPP to threaten a vote of no confidence in the prime minister, and subsequently it pulled out of the Barisan Nasional (BN). Recently, even United Pasokmomogun Kazadandusun Murut Organisation leaders have been echoing this unhappiness with the central government.

Finally, the deputy president of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili, announced that Sabah BN component parties would get to the bottom of the issue. What he omitted to say was that the massive and long-standing problem of illegal immigrants cannot be solved without focused political will from Kuala Lumpur.

Solutions and preoccupations

The obvious step to take is the establishment of a royal commission of enquiry specifically designed to investigate all aspects of this issue. This should include a thorough vetting of the National Registration Department in Sabah from top to bottom, as well as any political linkage that might exist in this burgeoning problem.

Unfortunately for Sabahans, the people in the power centre in Kuala Lumpur are all too busy with their party elections. They are also busy putting out sporadic fires on the economic front. Nothing can be further from their mind than the daily problems faced by distant, remote and inconsequential Sabahans.

That is all the reason needed for Sabahan MPs to jump ship and join Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's coalition. Provided, of course, Anwar can promise and deliver a comprehensive plan to weed out the illegal immigrants from the Land Below the Wind once and for all.

Without a change of government at the federal level, both Sarawak and Sabah cannot enjoy the fruits of federalism.


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Sim Kwang Yang was DAP MP for Bandar Kuching in Sarawak from 1982 to 1995. His column, An Examined Life, is published weekly on Malaysiakini.com.

Source : Malaysiakini

Foreigners already the single largest group in Sabah

DAILY EXPRESS NEWS
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Foreigners already the single largest group
03 August, 2008
NON-citizens already account for the single largest group in Sabah, representing about 24.8 per cent (or 747,800) out of the State's total population of 3,015,000, in 2005.

Malaysians outnumber them in Sabah only if all the various ethnic groups are looked at collectively, instead of singly.

This information is based on the Statistics Department's (State/District Data Bank 2005; General Report of the Population Census, Volume 1, 1980) breakdown showing the Kadazandusun as the second largest at 17.5 per cent, followed by Other Bumiputera (14.6 per cent), Bajau (13 per cent) and Malays (12.2 per cent).
The rest were Chinese who accounted for 9.7 per cent, Others (4.8 per cent) and Murut (3.2 per cent).

The Federation of Chinese Associations Sabah (FCAS), which distributed this data, also stated that only 230,000 of the 747,800 non-citizens in Sabah were legal workers while the rest were either illegal immigrants, illegal workers or legal workers.

Most of these non-citizens were Filipinos and Indonesians, it said.

FCAS stated that the department's Yearbook of Statistics - Sabah 2007 also revealed in year 2000 there were 2,603,485 people in Sabah. Of this 1,988,661 (76.38 per cent) were Malaysian citizens and the remaining 614,824 (23.61 per cent) were non-Malaysians.

Sabah's population is estimated to be 3,600,000 in 2008, of which 1,500,000 are foreigners, thus making 58 per cent Malaysians and 42 per cent non-Malaysians.

FCAS also mentioned that the Employment and Unemployment Statistics in Sabah in 2006 showed the labour force in Sabah numbered 1,264,100 people of whom were 1,190,700 and 73,500 unemployed.

The same statistics also revealed that the total number of employable people in Sabah in 2006 stood at 2,528,300.

The Number of Employed Persons By Industry in Sabah in 2006 showed that 323,300 out of the 1,190,700 were working in the agriculture and forestry sector; 187,600 were in the wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and household goods sector; 136,000 in the manufacturing sector; 92,100 in the construction sector; 87,100 in the public administration and defence sector; 67,100 in education sector; and 56,300 in transports, storage and communications sector.

Under the Number of Employed Persons By Occupation in Sabah in 2006, FCAS stated that 319,600 of the 1,190,700 employed were skilled agricultural and fishery workers; 180,700 were service workers and shop and market sales workers; 140,300 elementary occupations; 133,600 plant and machine operators and assemblers; 111,100 craft and related trade workers; 97,600 clerical workers; and others with professions recorded at 35,500.

Under the Number of Employed Persons By Age Group (between 15 and 64-years-old), 194,100 of those employed were in the 20-24 age group; 193,300 in the 25-29 age group; 171,400 in the 30-34 age group; and 153,000 in the age group of 35-39.

Under the Crime Reported To The Police By Nature of Offence it was revealed that in 2002 crimes such as murder, robbery and extortion, rape amounted to 630 cases while in 2006 the number jumped to 1,702 (a 170 per cent increase).

Crime on property in 2006 amounted to 5,246 cases, which was an increase by 56 per cent compared to the 3,365 cases in 2002. Housebreaking amounted to 1,487 cases, increased by 243 per cent, compared to 243 per cent in 2002.

The Prison Statistics for Sabah showed the total number of people convicted of crime and imprisoned for 2006 was 16,030 people whereas in 2002 the figure stood at 5,575 people (a 188 per cent increase).

Source :Daily Express

PTIs atau terrorist among our midst

Agenda Daily 31/05/06

II ditahan ISA …kumpulan radikal Darul Islam Sabah tidak mempunyai kaitan dengan Al Qaeda

Ketua Polis Negara Tan Sri Mohd Bakri Omar memberitahu Rabu Kumpulan radikal Islam yang dikenali sebagai Darul Islam Sabah yang mana 11 anggota telah ditahan di bawah Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) baru-baru ini didapati tidak mempunyai kaitan dengan Al-Qaeda.

Katanya kejayaan polis menahan mereka antara 16 Mac dan 3 April lepas di Sabah dan Selangor itu telah membendung dengan berkesan aktiviti militan yang menggunakan Sabah untuk menyusup masuk ke selatan Filipina dan menyeludup senjata api dari selatan Filipina ke Indonesia.

Menurutnya berikutan penahanan 11 orang itu, termasuk tiga orang guru sementara dan seorang penyelia syarikat, polis mendapati dua sel Darul Islam Sabah wujud di Tawau dan Sandakan.

Mohd Bakri berkata kumpulan berkenaan juga sedang merancang mewujudkan Daulah Islamiah Nusantara meliputi Indonesia, Malaysia dan selatan Filipina secara militan.

"Kumpulan ini turut membantu tujuh militan Indonesia, termasuk Umar Patek dan Dul Matin yang terlibat dalam pengeboman Bali pada Oktober 2002, untuk menyusup masuk ke selatan Filipina dari Indonesia antara tahun 2003 dan Mac lepas," katanya kepada pemberita selepas menyampaikan sijil asas kepolisan Kadet Asst Supt Polis (ASP) dan Inspektor Percubaan di Kuala Lumpur .

Rakyat tempatan yang ditahan itu beralamat di Tawau, Sabah, termasuk dua orang guru iaitu Mohd Nazri Dollah, 31, dan Mohd Arshad Patangari, 22, seorang penggred balak A. Artas Burhanuddin, 38, pemandu teksi Francis Indanan, 38, dan Adzmi Pindatun, 22, yang tidak mempunyai pekerjaan tetap.

Seorang lagi rakyat tempatan yang ditahan ialah peniaga kurma Idris Lanama, 31, yang beralamat di Klang, Selangor.

Warga Indonesia yang ditahan terdiri daripada seorang guru sementara Aboud Ghafar Shahril, 38, beralamat di Tawau, Sabah; Zainuddin Suharno, 28, dari Jawa Tengah dan Jaki Hamid, 28, dari Sulawesi.

Sementara rakyat Filipina yang ditahan ialah seorang buruh kasar Jeknal Adil, 22, yang beralamat di Tawau, Sabah, seorang penyelia syarikat yang mempunyai status penduduk tetap Malaysia Binsali Omar, 40, yang beralamat di Sabah. Mohd Bakri berkata polis turut merampas dua pucuk pistol automatik dan 91 butir peluru daripada dua orang warga Indonesia yang ditahan itu, berserta buku dan dokumen tentang jihad.

Kumpulan itu didapati "berperanan menjadi transit kepada militan Indonesia untuk menyusup masuk ke selatan Filipina serta menyeludup senjata api dari selatan Filipina Ke Indonesia, selain mendapat latihan ketenteraan di selatan Filipina," katanya.

"Mereka juga telah menyeludup tiga laras M16, lapan pucuk pistol automatik dari selatan Filipina untuk kegunaan militan Indonesia antara tahun 2003 dan Mac lepas melalui Sabah," katanya.

"Dengan penangkapan ini, polis telah dapat melumpuhkan rangkaian bawah tanah kumpulan militan Darul Islam Sabah yang bekerjasama dengan militan Indonesia. Tindakan polis juga telah membendung dengan berkesan aktiviti militan terbabit yang menggunakan Sabah untuk menyusup masuk ke selatan Filipina dan menyeludup senjata api dari selatan Filipina ke Indonesia," katanya.

Beliau berkata polis akan meneruskan siasatan bagi memastikan sama ada saki-baki kumpulan itu masih wujud di negara ini.

Source : Agenda Daily

Sabah: Rights groups talking nonsense

Sabah: Rights groups talking nonsense
Arianna | Aug 8, 08 3:30pm
I refer to the Malaysiankini report, Crackdown on illegals slammed. (Detail of the report read The Star.)

I would like to say to these rights groups, ‘Come and see the situation in Sabah first otherwise, shut up!’ That's all I have to say to these so-called rights groups.

Apparently you lot know nothing about the situation in Sabah. Is it 'noble' of you to take up the illegal immigrants’ plight and portray them as 'helpless and victimised people'. Really?

I do have compassion for foreigners, illegal or otherwise, but I do not condone their acts of coming into Sabah - by the millions for your information - through the back door.

Ask any Sabahan who has lived with these illegals all our lives. Remember, this is almost a 40-year-old problem. Today, their population compared to locals is 3 to 1 in their favour.

We've seen them slowly taking over our towns. Adults and children alike sell contraband not to mention the illegal hawking that cause headaches for the local authorities, police, local population and the health department.

Hey, they even make Sabah their 'war zone' by settling decades-old feuds that more often than not end up with killings. Ask the police if you doubt.

We've seen them introducing and smuggling in illegal drugs like 'syabu', bringing in firearms, a host of diseases all of which have resulted in a dramatic increase in our crime rate. Why do you think many of our homes are like ‘prisons’ installed with grills and extra padlocks?

Don't take my word for all this. I am sure the respective authorities would be more than happy to supply you with real statistics.

Why don't you rights groups visit our hospitals especially those in the east coast of Sabah? And our schools too. See for yourself how these illegals enjoy the facilities and rights that are only reserved for Malaysians.

You may also ask the health, education and defence ministries how much they've spent to provide such 'privileges' to these illegals. They run into the hundreds of millions of ringgit and that's Malaysian taxpayers’ money, if you didn't already know.

By the way, we have hundreds of so-called citizen-less children of these illegal immigrants roaming our streets either begging or harassing people to buy their plastic bags of contraband and even indulging in street gambling.

Since your rights groups are 'compassionate' towards these illegals, come on over and adopt these kids or build a home for them. Don't just talk. Walk the talk.

Did I mention that these illegals are mercenaries too? Hey, you can buy them for RM30 to RM50 per person to stage riots for you like they did in 1986. Or be used as 'phantom voters' in general elections.

So what do you great rights groups suggest we do? Give them permanent resident status like what a Sabah Umno leader suggested recently? And compromise the country's laws?

And when word of this gets around, wouldn't you think millions more would come to Sabah and once again out of compassion, we should grant them PR status?

Compassion has its limits. We Sabahans have reached our maximum limit. We have been more charitable than you rights groups can even imagine.

And look, we have been taken for granted. The illegals have overstayed their welcome. If these people want to work in Sabah, go back home and come back through the proper channels.

Otherwise, let our laws deal with them accordingly.

Source : Malaysiakini

Illegals living at expense of locals

Illegals living at expense of locals
By : Roy Goh

Squatters at Kampung Pondo in Pulau Gaya, Sabah.


KOTA KINABALU: Some wooden beams, a few zinc sheets, plywood and a few kilogrammes of nails.

That is all it takes for an illegal immigrant in Sabah to build a home on an empty plot half the size of a badminton court.

These simple box-like houses are a regular feature in most squatter colonies occupied by immigrants in the state, where the economy promises better opportunities than that of their countries of origin.

Given time and money, the house is extended, along with an increase in the number of occupants. Water and electricity are normally tapped illegally.

The utility authorities can vouch for this, based on the high percentage of non-revenue output in their accounts.

In short, these foreigners, mainly southern Filipinos and Indonesians, live at the expense of tax-paying locals.

The root of the state's illegal immigrant problem lies in the lack of political will to take action, irresponsible employers and those who offer fake documentation to them.

The latest massive exercise to flush out illegal immigrants was launched on Thursday, following a decision by a Special Federal Cabinet Committee headed by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The main target is to detect and deport an estimated 150,000 illegal immigrants.

Forty large squatter colonies are also on the hit list of the ongoing exercise which has been dubbed Ops Bersepadu.

Kampung Pulau Gaya's village security and development committee chairman Haji Idris Dakum knows the problem only too well.

He remembers a time when there were only two villages occupied by locals on the island, which is located opposite the waterfront here, before the mid-1970s -- Kampung Pulau Gaya and Lok Malohom.

"Filipino refugees who worked as labourers started building huts and soon it began spreading, all because the authorities did not take any stern action," said the 63-year-old retired teacher.

Now there are five other villages occupied mainly by Filipinos -- Kesuapan, Pondo, Lok Baru, Pasir Putih and Lok Urai.

Idris said it would be difficult for the authorities to take action now as many of them had been granted citizenship over the years.

Boatman Rajak Yusuf, 52, echoed similar sentiments and stressed that the most effective way to deal with the illegal immigrant problem was to demolish the squatter colonies.

"If you send one back, two will return. This is because the first one will tell a friend or relative there is a house ready for them if they return."

Contraband cigarette peddler Jumayah Jumat, a Filipina, said she would rather not live in a squatter area but she didn't have a choice because her husband's employer did not provide them with accommodation at the construction site in Likas where he works.

"We bought a (squatter) house for RM3,000 in Penampang two years ago and have stayed there ever since," said the 40-year-old, who plies her trade in the Lido area about 5km from here.

"It's not easy living in a squatter area because we are always on alert in case the authorities come. We do have proper documents but we are not supposed to be here in the first place."

Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Hajiji Mohd Noor said the government was well aware of the problems in the squatter colonies:

"Cable thefts, illegal water usage and electricity connections, criminals hiding out, illegal immigrants, unhygienic conditions and many more. These are well known problems as far as squatter colonies are concerned."

That was why the government decided to launch the massive operation, including demolishing the squatter villages, he explained.

"I have issued an order for the local authorities to offer full cooperation during the exercise, which is spearheaded by security agencies such as the police and army."

Six years ago a massive operation codenamed Ops Nyah II Bersepadu was launched successfully, but it fizzled out within a year and the number of illegal immigrants began increasing again.

"This time it will be different because we have full federal support and it will run continuously," the minister claimed.

He added that RM50 million had been allocated for the purpose.

Source : New Strsit Times

Ordeal of a foreign spouse

Ordeal of a foreign spouse
Posted by Super Admin
Monday, 04 August 2008 09:45
ALIRAN

This is not Ripley's Believe it or Not, but it is faster to get an employment pass for a domestic helper than for a foreign spouse. The same goes for visa extensions, a process which can stretch from hours to days, laments Aavaz.

For 16 years I've fought this fight; for 16 years, the Immigration Department has been my second home.

Seriously I have exhausted all means, perhaps you can give me some fresh ideas on how change can be sought.

I have sent this letter to almost all women NGOs (they are grossly understaffed and tend to handle urgent cases), Bar Council (no response), MPs (several questions asked in Parliament - mumbo jumbo replies were given). Mr Lim Kit Siang was initiating some sort of debate; however, that day I think the opposition walked out.

The Home Minister about two months ago said that the matter would be looked into - when, I wonder? So now thats what we foreign spouses of Malaysian are: an ignored segment of Malaysian society.


Ordeal of a foreign spouse – the reality of life in Malaysia: My story
Several letters have been published in the press, but we're a forgotten segment of Malaysian society. I am a foreign spouse of a Malaysian Citizen and 16 years down the line, I feel that I am accorded worse treatment than an illegal. At least illegals after a while, do get amnesty, but not spouses.

There are many of us here for 12-20 years, still on a dependent pass or an employment pass, still waiting for years and even decades not for citizenship, but for mere Permanent Resident status.

Foreign spouses find life in Malaysia really difficult because the law, if any, is so grey that it varies in interpretation from immigration officer to officer.

Many of us even have to resort to merely doing volunteer service, though it is a necessity to be an income earner. Some of us lucky ones manage to get an employment pass on the spouse visa; however, not many employers are prepared to employ a foreign spouse due to the tedious paperwork. Yes, of course only employers with a paid up capital of over RM200K can employ us. Many even exploit us and pay some measly sum as token salary. When we wish to change jobs, there is a cooling off period between employers to cool our heels for six months.

Life in Malaysia is near traumatic for us and here's more.

This is not Ripley's Believe it or Not, but it is faster to get an employment pass for a domestic maid than for a foreign spouse. The same goes for extensions of the visa, long waits that stretch from hours to days; yes, we are the spouses of Malaysian Citizens.

By the way, it may be that it is also easier and less procedural for expatriates to get an employment pass than spouses of Malaysian citizens.

We have to pay double charges in Government hospitals even when we are delivering Malaysian citizens. We have to pay fees of foreigners to study in public Universities. Even for a visit to KLCC Aquarium, we pay tourist rates while the rest of our family pay differently - even though we are more Malaysian than most Malaysians!!

We have to carry our passports wherever we go; however students, workers, and, if I am not mistaken, even domestic maids get an ID card. A housewife cannot even open an account in some of the banks; we cannot deposit money through the ATM because our bank account is called an external account – such is the treatment for spouses of Malaysian Citizens.

Oh wait, we forgot to mention the yearly visits to the Immigration – in fact it is a joke of sorts amongst spouses, that the "Immigration Department is our Second Home!!"Long waits, irrespective of infants in our hands; some have to travel from various states to Putrajaya just to get a spouse visa.

By the way, we have to be accompanied by our spouses to the Immigration department when the submission is being done, this process can take up to 6-7 hours; more often for submission and approval it takes several visits, never mind that the spouse has just given a declaration that we are still married in front of the Commissioner of Oaths.

Why is this section of people so neglected? We take care of our Malaysian families, the future Malaysian generation, yet we are a forgotten segment of Malaysian society.

Husbands of Malaysian women have it even worse; so also we understand that Chinese spouses are not even allowed to apply for PR status. Many Malaysian with foreign spouses have left the country in sheer frustration. Many of us are highly educated and are professionals, and we cannot even get jobs here; so why would we undergo so much hardship for so many years? Only for our families. Stop treating us like criminals.

The Home Minister is the only approving authority for PR, and only few approvals are given per month. Is this a fair deal where there are a few thousand still waiting; something is very wrong in the system then. We also know that priority is given for those applying for the more lucrative "Malaysia my Second Home." So now it boils down to the fact that "only money talks" If in Sabah and Sarawak foreigners have easily been given ICs, why can't this be done for foreign spouses?
In this global environment, where travel is so much easier and national boundaries are getting more seamless, the Home Ministry and Immigration should look into its policies and engage itself with more modern policies and practises that reflect good governance. It is only appropriate that spouses of Malaysians should be given fair status and have rational rules and regulations.

The writer has not touched on what happens in cases where there is separation or divorce involved... Do the children have to relocate to the non-Malaysian parent's home country because the parent's visa in Malaysia will not get extended?

What needs immediate attention is the immigration law itself for spouses of citizens. Today in countries such as UK, USA, Australia and nearer home in Singapore, no more than two years of living together is required to secure PR status - marriage is not even a necessity in these countries.

Whilst I do appreciate my application to be speeded up, I am seeking a review and reform of the law, its governance both at Federal and State level, and that of policy and procedures within the various immigration departments particularly for foreign spouses.

This will also be beneficial to the nation as many spouses are highly qualified and are seeking the employment market. Some have even indicated that they are willing to return should it be easier to gain employment.

This is not a work of fiction but the reality of life faced by Spouses of Malaysian Citizens.

The above was a comment left on Aliran member Charles Hector's blog in response to an entry 'Foreign spouses should get PR status on registration of marriage'

Sourse : Malaysia Today

Sabah has recorded an "extra ordinary" increase in its population

Suhakam queries population explosion
24 December, 2005
Kota Kinabalu: Sabah has recorded an "extra ordinary" increase in its population over the last 35 years and it could be due to the illegal entry of foreigners into the State.

In disclosing this, the member of Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) Prof Datuk Mohd Hamdan Adnan said the latest statistics showed that the population in Sabah had increased more than four folds from about 697,900 in 1970 to almost three million in 2004.

In comparison, neighbouring Sarawak's total population grew from around one million to 2.3 million over the same period, he said.

"This is quite puzzling and of course, the citizens of Malaysia, especially the people of Sabah, have the right to know the contributing factors of this extra ordinary increase," he said, Friday.

"Our borders (Sabah) are porous and they (illegal immigrants) can easily sneak in even after they had been sent back to their home countries.

"Based on feedback, some of the detainees at the temporary detention centres in Sabah, once they are sent back, they try to come back to the State under different names," he said.

On delayed deportations of detainees at the temporary detention centres particularly in Sandakan and Tawau, Hamdan said the problem cropped up because some of the detainees did not possess proper travel documents.

As such, he suggested "the country which had a large number of detainees" to set up an office in Sabah to facilitate the issuance of valid travel document.

He said more than 50 per cent of the detainees in temporary detention centres throughout the State were Filipinos.

Meanwhile, Suhakam has asked the Federal Government to solve the overcrowding at the prisons in Sandakan and Tawau.

Meanwhile the Consumer Association of Sabah (Cash) proposed the setting up of an Independent Commission to investigate Sabah's "big" population.

Its President Datuk Patrick Sindu said if the claims are true, the Commission must find out how so many of the foreigners could own the Mykad.

"The source of the problem should be identified and solved as we don't want this State to end up like Palestine where at the end of the day its citizens had to squat on their own land," he said.

He said the issue was nothing new and had been brought up before during the 1985 State elections. - Bernama

Source : Daily Express