Warisan to discuss PSS issue

BEAUFORT: The decision to review the Sabah Temporary Pass (PSS) for Filipino war refugees will be made after talks with the Home Ministry, says Parti Warisan Sabah head Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (pic).

The policy would be reviewed in light of the strife it triggered during the Kimanis by-election, said Shafie, who is also Sabah Chief Minister.

“We will study and discuss it with the Home Ministry, ” he said.

Barisan Nasional rode on the issue during their campaign, which analysts have pointed to as a contributing factor to Warisan’s loss.

Shafie accepted the defeat and assured the state government would continue to assist people there.“We will continue to provide assistance to people in need of aid, ” said Shafie in making his first remarks over his party’s defeat in Kimanis to Barisan on Saturday.

“The people have decided. We accept the decision. I thank all the voters who supported Warisan.

“We will continue to give assistance as we know people in the area need help, ” he said after attending a Christmas and New Year open house hosted by state Rural Development Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick in Kota Belud on Sunday.

Shafie also said that they would conduct a post-mortem on the defeat of their candidate Datuk Karim Bujang to Barisan’s Datuk Mohamad Alamin.

He said there were various factors including money politics, which would be looked into during the post-mortem to be held soon.

Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is also Pakatan president, said the government respected the decision of the people in Kimanis who she said might have been caught up by issues at the state level as well as the parliamentary constituency, including the PSS.

“The important thing is to see where we ourselves can improve.

“No doubt there are issues such as the PSS and all, but the PSS decision was made during the Barisan Nasional government and they now say that it is all our fault.

“This is not true. We made some improvements to it but probably the message was not passed down, ” she said.

“We have heard (the voice of the people) and will take this as a lesson to guide us in improving the situation in order for us to regain

the mandate and support of the people, ” she told reporters here yesterday.