KOTA KINABALU, May 20 (Bernama) - Geographical and political factors caused Sabah's immigrant population to rise drastically from 1963 to 2012, the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) On Illegal Immigrants heard on Monday.
Sarawak Registration Department director Datuk Abu Bakar Mat said the factors led to a rise in the issuance of blue identity cards (IC) to Sabah immigrants over the last 49 years.
The 63rd witness testified that 5,753 blue ICs were issued to immigrants in Sarawak after they obtained citizenship from 1963 to end of 2012.
Asked by conducting officer Manoj Kurup why the number of IC issued in Sarawak was lower than the 66,000 issued in Sabah over the same period, he said it depended on circumstances.
"In my opinion, this is due to the location of Sarawak and Sabah. The geographical location of Sabah which is near the Philippines caused the population of immigrants in Sabah to see more increase compared to Sarawak."
Asked what could be done to check the problem, he said border security should be tightened and more entry points should be opened to encourage legal entry.
Abu Bakar said from 1966 to 1980, applications for IC in Sarawak must be accompanied by status recognition certificate and birth certificate.
However, after 1980, only birth certificates were required for IC application and status recognition certificates were no longer used.
The proceedings before a panel headed by former chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak, Tan Sri Steve Shim Lip Kiong was told that the squattter problem caused social implications such as drug abuse, theft, health and hygiene.
The panel members are Prof Datuk Seri Dr Kamaruzaman Ampon (Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Sabah), Datuk Henry Chin Poy Wu (former Kuala Lumpur police chief), Datuk Kee Mustafa (former Sabah state secretary) and Tan Sri Herman J.Luping (former Sabah deputy chief minister and former Sabah solicitor-general.
Kota Kinabalu City Hall asst director Mohammed Amir Izzat said it was monitoring the squatter problem and demolishing of the squatter houses.
"Until May this year, 253 squatter houses were demolished. In 2012, 324 houses were demolished, in 2011, 714 houses, in 2010, 510 houses and in 2009, 1,520 houses were demolished."
Mohammed Amir refuted alegation that the immigrants obtained business licence using fake IC adding they might be business partners.
Abd Rahim Katiman, an assitant enforcement officer of Tenom District Council testified the record of squatters were updated annually.
Tenom had only one squatter colony with 34 houses and 174 inhabitants comprising Pakistanis, Bajau Suluks, Javanese and Muruts.
Sandakan Municipal Council squatter unit head Kassim Selamat said 32,095 people were living in 43 squatter colonies and 19,370 were non Malaysian citizens.
However he was unsure of their countries of origin but most were from southern Philippines.
He said 4,620 houses were demolished from 2000 to 2008 and 1,080 were demolished from 2009 to 2012.
Majid Patola, an inspector with Tawau Municipal Council said Tawau had 19,455 squatters. Of the number, 11,904 were non-Malaysian citizens.
The proceedings continue Tuesday. Seven witnesses testified on Monday.
--BERNAMA
Kawalan harus dibuat.
ReplyDeletePATI tidak harus masuk dan memberi identiti untukmenikmati kelengakapan dan menanggung perbelanjaan hospital juga.
ReplyDeleteTidak salah, sebab kedudukan geografi memang senang untuk mendatangkan kemasukan PATI. Harus juga kerajaan membuat kawalan yang berpatutan.
ReplyDeleteMereka akan mendapatkan cara untuk masuk. Tambahan lagi kawalan yang tidak sebaik dijangka.
ReplyDeleteSangat bersetuju dan siapa tahu dengan kewujudan ESSCOM sedikit sebanyak akan bantu tanggani masalah pati.
DeleteRCI akan mengemukakan laporan atas siasatannya.
ReplyDeleteFrom 2000 to October last year, a total of 19,781 foreigners had their marriages to Sabahans registered with the Sabah Islamic Affairs Council (JHEAINS), according to its chief assistant director Baharuddin Alwi.
ReplyDeleteOf the total, 10,922 were foreign women of various nationalities and most of them were Indonesians and Filipinas, he said.
Ini pun salah satu penyumbangnya juga. Kadangkala macam mana mahu selesai kalau orang local sendiri mahu kawin dengan pati.
DeleteMereka datang sini dan diberi mykad untuk menikmati kemudahan di Sabah.
DeleteThe remaining 8,859 were foreign men who wed Sabahan women, Baharuddin told the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the presence of illegal immigrants in Sabah.
ReplyDeleteBaharuddin disclosed that in 2000, 222 foreign women married Sabahan men and the figure increased to 312 in 2001. In 2002 it was 450, 385 (2003), 640 (2004), 824 (2005), 403 (2006), 1,109 (2007), 1,539 (2008), 1,138 (2009), 1,165 (2010), 1,433 (2011) and 1,302 (from January to October 2012).
In the case of foreign men marrying Sabahan women, JHEAINS records shows 177 (2000), 222 (2001), 384 (2002), 374 (2003), 405 (2004), 582 (2005), 278 (2006), 789 (2007), 1,092 (2008), 885 (2009), 1,124 (2010), 1,304 (2011) and 1,243 (January to October 2012).
ReplyDeleteHe said foreigners who wanted to marry locals must produce valid identification and travel documents to JHEAINS if they wanted to have their marriages registered.
Adakah nmereka berkahwin untuk mendapatkan mykad, lepas itu, bercerai?
DeleteMuslims under the age of 18 who wanted to marry must first obtain the approval from the Syariah Court, Baharuddin said, adding that there were applications for 13 and 14-year-olds to be married.
ReplyDelete“A work pass however is not acceptable as proof of identification, he said, adding that JHEAINS would accept a valid IMM13, visit pass, professionals’ passports and the JKM census certificate but the latter must be verified by the department.
Baharuddin was responding to question from Conducting Officer Datuk Azmi Ariffin.
Asked by Commission Tan Sri Steve Shim as to what he wanted to show the panel by calling Baharuddin to give his statement, Azmi said: “To show that the population increase in Sabah was a result of marriages between foreigners and Sabahans.”
ReplyDeleteSteve also requested that Baharuddin provide the panel with the records preceding 2000 which the latter agreed to but said it would take time as the data was not computerized.
Memang tidak dapat dinafikan jugalah sedikit sebanyak hal ini menyumbang kepada kemasukan pati di Sabah.
ReplyDeleteJusteru penubuhan RCI membuktikan kerajaan BN komited dalam menyelesaikan kemelut yang menghantui fikiran masyarakat Sabah sejak sekian lama.
ReplyDeleteKami menanti laporan hasil sisasatan RCI.
DeleteSemoga masalah pati di Sabah dapat diselesaikan bagi kesenangan semua pihak.
ReplyDeletePerkahwinan diantara orang Islam Sabah dengan rakyat asing semakin meningkat semenjak tahun 2000, berjumlah hampir 20,000 perkahwinan sepanjang 13 tahun lalu, demikian laporan RCI berkenaan PATI
ReplyDelete“Kebanyakkan isteri asing adalah warga Indonesia dan Filipina,” kata Baharuddin, ketua pendaftar perkahwinan dari Jabatan Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Sabah kepada RCI pada Rabu lepas.
ReplyDeleteJPN tidak harus memberi mykad dengan sewenang-wenangnya.
Deletetambah beliau lagi, terdapat 8,859 perkahwinan Islam diantara lelaki asing dengan wanita tempatan di Sabah dari 2000 sehingga Oktober 2012, termasuk 10,922 perkahwinan Islam diantara wanita Islam dan lelaki tempatan pada masa sama, menjumlahkan 19,781 perkahwinan
ReplyDeleteAs we know, the RCI demand has long been voiced by the people ...
ReplyDeleteRCI sudah hampiri tempoh yang diberi, kami harapkan siasatan RCI menghasil.
DeleteSemoga RCI melaksanakan tanggungjawab dengan baik untuk membuat siasatan yang wajar.
ReplyDelete