Illegal immigrants issue changes Sabah economically: Suhakam

13th June, 2008
KOTA KINABALU: Vice Chairman of SUHAKAM Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Simon Sipaun said the illegal immigrant issue in Sabah is quickly changing the economic, social, cultural, civil and political landscape in Sabah.

In his introductory remarks during the Dialogue Session on Civil and Political Rights here yesterday, Simon said the issue which have been referred to as the “mother of all problems” has made Sabah famous for the wrong reason.

He said, “This problem first arose during the late sixties and early seventies. Unfortunately, it has transformed itself from a relatively manageable to the present mammoth problem, essentially due to what is perceived to be a deliberate neglect by relevant authorities and agencies”.

Simon stated that it is perhaps one reason why there is a popular demand for the setting up of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to look into the matter.

He also believed that the whole idea of setting up of such commission is to get to the bottom of things and to ascertain once and for all the true state of affairs.

“It cannot be denied that the presence of illegal immigrants is felt through out Sabah. There is no place that SUHAKAM had visited in which no complainant complained about social problems associated with illegal immigrants,” he added.

Admittedly nobody, including the government knows the precise number of illegal immigrants in Sabah, since the number is always changing and most probably in an upward trend and could have even outnumbered the locals, said Simon.

According to Simon that the illegal immigrant issue is a national problem but shouldered by Malaysians living in Sabah.

Therefore Simon said it is only fair and reasonable for them to be shared equally among all the states in Malaysia.

He stressed, “National leaders who have claimed that they pose no problem could have as many of them as possible to be settled in their respective constituencies. Such move will indicate and prove their sincerity beyond doubt”.

However he said as human being they also have rights which must be respected but it does not mean they could walk in and out of Sabah and break the country’s laws with impunity.