Get foreign missions to document their citizens in Sabah, state MCA tells govt

KOTA KINABALU: The Federal Government should seek the assistance of foreign missions to document their nationals, instead of issuing them the Kad Warga Asing (Foreigner Card), says Sabah MCA Wanita chief Datuk Dr Pamela Yong.

She said what's needed was a holistic management of information sharing with diplomatic missions on their nationals in Sabah with the Home Ministry, Malaysian Immigration Department and state National Registration Department.

"Our (Sabah MCA) stand is that the Kad Warga Asing should not be issued to undocumented foreigners, as it would legitimise undocumented foreigners staying in Sabah and Malaysia," Dr Yong said in a statement Monday (Feb 14).

She said Sabah MCA was also suggesting that a fact-finding measure be taken to find out the views of the public.

Meanwhile Sabah MCA, she said, would like to thank Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor for clarifying the Kad Warga Asing was just a recommendation by the Technical Committee.

Hajiji said the Sabah government would deliberate on it before it makes a final decision on the suggestion made by the technical committee.

Yong noted there were natives in Sabah's interior areas that did not have proper identity documents due to difficulties in travelling to nearby towns to register their births and other documentation problems faced by Malaysians in other states also.

"We urge the Sabah state government and also the Federal Government to prioritise the settlement of the issue of documentation of genuine applicants who are born to Malaysian parents and face documentation problems, ahead of undocumented foreigners," she added.