Consider SAPP's 14-point proposals: Yong

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) on Wednesday again called on the Federal and State governments to at least consider the party's 14-point proposals on the illegal immigrant issue submitted to the Prime Minister and authorities over the last two years.

"We also stand by our memorandum 'Illegal Immigrants - Mother of All Threats' presented to the then Deputy Prime Minister (now Prime Minister) in August 1999," said President Datuk Yong Teck Lee.

Yong said SAPP thanked Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for announcing plans for a massive operation to flush out illegal immigrants in Sabah.

He said security, law and order were basic constitutional duties of the Government.

"The rakyat should not have to suffer while waiting for the Government to take its time in tackling crimes, illicit drugs, street children, illegal cigarette vendors and a host of other problems associated with illegal immigrants," he said.

Since Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman and the Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar had earlier said the Philippines government was reluctant to accept back their citizens, it means a "massive operation" may result in overcrowding of the detention centres, he said.

"I recall that in October 2006, the then Minister of Home Affairs, Datuk Seri Radzi, had declared that the 15 detention centres in the country had already reached crisis point. But nothing was done about this crisis which has already worsened," he said.

To sum up, Yong said the range of measures that the Government must take without delay was to detain illegal out-sourcing agents (like snake heads) and local syndicates who smuggle in illegals.

Also the involvement of the military, Rela and boosting of resources for the police in terms of manpower, equipment, transport, navy boats, air patrols and massive funding, he added.

According to him, SAPP was still waiting for a simple answer as to why the Malaysian consulate cannot be relocated from Davao to Zamboanga.

He said since the Philippines is reluctant to take back their citizens, Malaysia must use its superior international position in Asean and OIC to leverage the Philippines government to cooperate in solving this human misery affecting their citizens.

"The steps that can be taken include the setting up of a Philippine consulate in Sabah, tighter control over the Zamboanga-Sandakan ferry services and imposition of a bond on return tickets for non-Malaysian travellers," he said.

Yong said it is understood that the United States spends about US$200 million (RM620 million) per year in the Southern Philippines in socio-economic aid as part of their (American) national security efforts to tackle the breeding ground for potential terrorists.

"What is the role of Malaysia, Asean and OIC in all these win-win smart partnership programmes?" he asked.

Yong said without having these regional perspectives on the illegal immigrant problem, any enforcement, however massive, amounts to no more than a superficial, simplistic approach that will only stretch the country's national resources, cram the detention centres and promise no long-term solutions.

Economic opportunities in Sabah provide the 'pull' factor, which attracts illegal immigrants from the southern Philippines and Indonesia.

"The 'push' factor that drives Filipinos to Sabah is political and economics, while for Indonesians it is mostly a matter of livelihood," he said.

Therefore, a holistic approach to dealing with Sabah's illegal immigrant problems includes understanding and addressing issues of development and poverty in the territories concerned, he added.

He said the Philippines territorial claim over Sabah, for example, cannot be brushed aside although it is not recognised by Malaysia.

The breakdown of the peace process in southern Philippines, the friction between the different factions pursuing autonomy in Muslim Mindanao are issues that are intriguingly linked to the immigration of Filipinos into Sabah.

"SAPP thanks the Deputy Prime Minister for the announcement and looks forward to a more holistic, long term and effective solution to this mother of all threats that has been a nightmare for the people of Malaysia," he said.

DAILY EXPRESS NEWS
Sabah
26/06/08