Photo: Bernama filepic
PETALING JAYA: The Sabah government is collecting biometric data to keep track of non-citizens, especially stateless persons, in the state.
Datuk Armizan Ali (pic) said this move is to help determine the exact size of Sabah's foreigner population.
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“By obtaining complete information about foreigners through digital data including facial recognition, it will enable the government to make a clear policy, including strategy and enforcement action mechanisms,” he said in a parliamentary written reply to Datuk Andi Muhammad Suryady (BN-Kalabakan) on Friday (May 26).
Andi had asked about holistic and integrated mechanisms by the government for managing issues related to the status of stateless persons, especially on Sabah's east coast.
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Armizan, who is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions), said the state government has also established a Non-Citizen Isolation Centre for beggars in Kota Kinabalu.
He added that the majority of those sent to the centre were Pala’u, a group traditionally living in the coastal regions and islands of east coast Sabah.
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“This centre offers a special programme that applies skills in self-management, community life and informal spiritual learning to beggars and detained street children.
“They will be sent to a temporary shelter for isolation for a maximum period of three months,” the minister said.
The government has also identified several locations in Semporna, Lahad Datu, Kudat and Kunak where stateless people may be relocated for better monitoring and management.
Armizan said the centre could also potentially become an educational and arts centre that could attract tourists to learn about the Pala'u culture.
