KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan is puzzled over his appointment to head a panel to deal with Sabah’s immigrant problem.
While Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa had announced that Pairin would chair a committee, the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president was however uncertain as to what exactly the committee would be.
In announcing the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Sabah’s immigrants, Ali had stated the government was accepting its recommendation that a working committee be set up report to a Permanent Secretariat.
However, Pairin noted that the Commission in its report had proposed the setting of a management committee or consultative council on immigrants.
“The question now is where do all these fit in?” said Pairin, the state Infrastructure Development Minister after attending a Public Works Department gathering here.
“So you are jumping the gun for now,” he added when asked about his appointment to the committee.
Questioned on whether he intended to meet the Prime Minister or Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman about the appointment, he said: “I will want to meet the relevant people.”
He said he was open to suggestions and recommendations from the public about what should be done next in resolving Sabah’s longstanding immigrant population problem.
Pairin said while the government had pledged drastic action in dealing with Sabah’s immigrant problem in the wake of the release of the Commission’s report, “we have to see what these measures are.”
He added that immediate actions must include the deployment of more security forces to prevent foreigners from entering Sabah illegally.
“We have immigration laws and these must be fully enforced. Nobody who do not have proper documents should be allowed in,” he added.
“We have enough of them here already,” said Pairin.
He said security agencies must also ensure that no individuals or syndicates be allowed to fraudulently produce and distribute Malaysian identification documents.
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