Expert calls on Jeffrey to discuss with stakeholders 

Kota Kinabalu: Political observer Dr Chong Eng Leong (pic) suggested that Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan call for a meeting as soon as possible with all stakeholders in Sabah to discuss and decide on the best solution to address documentation for migrants.

“The stakeholders should include non-governmental organisations (NGOs), plantation owners, manufacturing and construction players, and educationists for migrant children,” he said in a statement, Sunday.

Dr Chong, a well-known expert on Sabah’s migrant problems, was referring to Dr Jeffrey’s recent statement on matters related to undocumented migrants in the State.

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Dr Jeffrey was quoted as saying that the proposal by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to give a temporary pass to stranded undocumented migrants who are already in peninsula to work in oil palm and rubber plantations is nothing like the Sabah Temporary Pass (or PSS) which Warisan had stubbornly and arrogantly defended early this year.

In an immediate response, Dr Chong said: “I would like to remind Dr Jeffrey that PSS was intended for migrants in Sabah who have been issued certain documents since 1980 – IMM13, Burung Burung and Sijil Banci. They are not undocumented.”

He said the problem is that many such documents are fake and are floating around making tracking and management of this group of documented migrants difficult - this problem was highlighted in the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Sabah Immigrants held in 2013. 

“As a solution, it was suggested that a new card or paper with biometric features should be considered to replace these three documentations. Sabah Resident Pass was the name suggested for this new card or paper. 

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“Muhyiddin as the Home Minister in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government announced last September the name of this new card or paper - the PSS instead of Sabah Resident Pass.

“The Kimanis by-election killed off the PSS. PBS, Star and oppositions to Warisan twisted the good intention by saying that PSS was to be given to undocumented immigrants and so on.

“After Perikatan Nasional (PN) took over the Federal Government, Muhyiddin is PM and his Home Minister came to Sabah in mid-June telling us that instead of the name PSS, a new name suggested - IMM13 with biometric features to replace the Burun-Burung, Sijil Banci and existing IMM13.

“Dr Jeffrey of Star and Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili of PBS quickly and strongly supported the suggestion. See how they opposed or agreed on suggestion just for the sake of opposing or agreeing.

“The new Home Minister must have realised later that IMM13 for all of them was inappropriate, thus aborted again. Therefore please, Dr Jeffrey, please be factual and truthful,” he said.