Mutalib MD - The Unsung Hero

Hantu Laut

Though I don't know him personally and have never met the man I share the loss of this unsung hero, who for many years have been ridiculed by those in power for exposing the issuance of I/Cs to illegal immigrants from the Philippines and Indonesia.

He was the first to expose the "I/C Palsu" and letting illegal immigrants to votes using forged I/C. He also started the first widely read Sabah political blog "Sabahkini"

A true Sabahan who for years pursue the illegal I/C and illegal immigrants problems but to no avail as the power that be denied any involvement.

As the adage "truth will out" what he wrote and has been saying all these years came true at the RCI (Royal Commission of Enquiry) that had many recipients of illegal I/Cs coming forward to testify.

A true and fearless Sabahan, who tried to right the wrongs, but did not live long enough to see through what he has been fighting for all these years.

A champion for Sabahans, an unsung hero, we will be missing him.

My deepest condolence to his family and may Allah bless his soul.

Alfateha.

Christina Liew Is Sabahan Lah, Stupid!

Hantu Laut

It is a stark revelation that the RCI cannot be used as a yardstick to measure the extent of government involvement in the issuance of Malaysian identity cards to illegal immigrants.

Most identity cards were sold by irresponsible and corrupt West Malaysian officers, who came to Sabah to make fast money with little conscience that their actions have far-reaching consequences, detrimental to the interests and well-being of Sabahans.

A number of witnesses called up by the commission had been unreliable. Some were too smart for their own good, some just plain stupid and some gave only half the truth.

The recent claim made by Sabah Suluk Ethnic Clan Association secretary Mohd Zaki Hari Susanto (a Suluk with an Indonesian name) that Api-Api assemblywoman Christina Liew was an Indonesian Chinese before becoming Malaysian was a clear case of ignorance. The man is just plain stupid, doesn't know what he is talking about. Many people knew Christina Liew from childhood and knew she is a Sabahan and a naturalised Malaysian. What was uttered by this man at the RCI was untrue.

Liew has clarified her status here.

Many young Malaysians are ignorant of the history of this country because our history books in schools are so badly written, it imparts very little knowledge of pre-independence history and the position of the migrant races who stepped foot on this shore before independence.Read more.

A Chinese Story

Hantu Laut

That was 20 years ago when Chinese illegal immigrants from China risked their lives at the hands of human smugglers to sail to the United States to find a better life. 

America, the "Land Of Opportunity" attracted all kind of immigrants, legal and illegal.

Today, Chinese from China will not risk their lives to go to the U.S. or anywhere else in the world. The doors are opened for them to leave the country as and when they wish. They have now become the world's largest tourism with money to throw.

In my travel to various countries in Europe and Asia the past two years I have never failed to bump into Chinese tourists, from the big city to the smallest town, they were every where. From Paris, Milan to Kathmandu, they were there.

China has come a long way to come out of the hovel it was and is now the second largest economy in the world after the United States.

I was first in Beijing in 1985 and was in Beijing again a month ago, the transformation was nothing less than spectacular. It's a miracle in motion and China will continue to gleam economically and would overtake the U.S. in the next decade.

With all the modernisation, gleaming skyscrapers and high street shoppings in the cities, there was a forgotten and neglected niche similar to Malaysia, the public toilets stink to high heaven!

Read the irony of U.S. immigration law below.

"A Path out of purgatory" 

Sabah RCI:Boon For Crooks, Liars and Honest Injuns

Hantu Laut 

Reported in the Daily Express 17 January 2013

NRD Deputy Director Nik Norashikin Nik Mansur said 66,682 people in Sabah received Malaysian citizenship between 1964 to October 2012.

She added that 38,000 were from Malaysia, 13,000 from China, 7,000 from Indonesia, while the rest were from the Philippines, Hong Kong and other countries. Those from Malaysia were born in Malaysia.

Those from China was a bit of a surprise. My British friend who had stayed in this country for almost three decades applied for permanent residence a number of times but to no avail.He passed away some five years ago and became permanent resident in Sabah, as dead as a doornail.

If what the opposition say about the government unlawful exercise to increase Muslim population is true, it seems absurd that the government also give to non-Muslim nationals from other countries. 

Many countries give citizenship to immigrants who meet the requirement and abide by the law of the land. Knowing how to speak the local language is a must before citizenship is accorded to the person concerned. Many of the immigrants who had stayed here a few decades can speak better Malay than many local Chinese and Indians that have been here a few generations. Even those from China who have been here just a few years speak better Bahasa than some Malaysian Chinese.

Malaysia also hosted the highest number of Chinese nationals compared to other nationals in its "Malaysia My Second Home" program and surprisingly some have pick up the language faster than some local Chinese. 

I was amazed by a Chinese girl from China who was selling some Chinese goods at Wisma Merdeka a while back. She spoke fluent Bahasa Melayu, addressing her customers as abang, pakchik, kakak and so forth. I suppose one have to make an effort when it comes to survival.

As Mahathir said there is nothing wrong in giving immigrants citizenship as long as they meet the requirement. The U.S and many European countries give out citizenship every year to qualified immigrants.

It was also reported that some 128,000 dubious ICs was issued over a period, but after government investigation a total of 91,656 were found to be fake and had been cancelled. Actions had been taken against some NRD officers including invoking the ISA on them for selling ICs to illegal immigrants. 

Obviously, these rouge officers, either were making use of government apparatus to do illicit business or taking instructions from their superiors to do the malfeasance to diddle Sabahans of their democratic rights.

Some good are coming out of the RCI and PM Najib should be lauded for his effort to find out the truth.

The RCI is getting exciting each day and a boon for crooks, liars, opportunists and honest-to-goodness witnesses sharing the limelight of the unconscionable blame game.

I hope those involved in falsifying and issuing of ICs and tempering with the electoral rolls would be severely punished, irrespective of their positions, be they ministers, NRD officers or EC officers. 

The skewed and lopsided pro-opposition news portal and blogs as usual only reported the negatives outcome and censored anything positive of the government.

Act Of Treason Against Sabahans, Where Was Anwar Ibrahim In 1994?

Hantu Laut

It's now becoming a fashion of sort to blame the dead.As we all know "dead men tell no tales." A dead man also cannot wake up from his grave, kick you in the ass and defend himself. So it's a win-win situation.

Former Sabah NRD director Ramli Kamaruddin said former Deputy Home Minister Megat Junid told him, here, to issue receipt to allow illegal immigrants to vote in the 1994 state elections. Megat Junid died on 24 January 2008.

Former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Monammad had been implicated with the issuance of Malaysian I/C to illegal immigrants dubbed "Project M". Mahathir must be really stupid to allow his name to be used for illegal activity.

The question is was Mahathir complicit in this illegal activity or was it people below him who took upon themselves to do the malfeasance?

Anwar Ibrahim, the great pretender and man of conscience was then the deputy prime minister and minister of finance, why did he not stop this act of treason against Sabahans? 

Was he also complicit to the illegal activity in the 1994 Sabah state elections?

We know what he did in 1994!

He was the man on the ground not Mahathir. He was very much involved in the programme to destabilise the then PBS government and was the mastermind of the crossing over of PBS assemblymen to BN at that time.

As they say "what goes around come around", the same frogs have now joined him to do exactly the same exercise and this time to destabilise the BN government.

The unfortunate thing is Malaysians still think this man is worthy of trust. 

Worked To Death:Malaysia's Shame

Hantu Laut

Can we call ourselves a civilised nation. 

The Al Jazeera report is not a figment of someone's imagination.  

I was in Myanmar last month. My group of 4 hired a van with a driver and a guide and visited many places in Myanmar.

Much to our surprise, our guide speaks Bahasa Melayu as well as English. Upon enquiring where he learned to speak Malay, he told us he worked in Malaysia for almost a year but eventually had no choice but to escape back to Myanmar due to brutal treatment by his employer, who subjected him to long working hours and harsh working conditions, did not pay his wages and held his passport.

He had become victim of human trafficking and had to endure abuses from his employer, low income and non payment of wages. Adding to his woes, harassment by the police and other enforcement agencies. 

He had to escape through the jungles of Malaysia and Thailand to avoid detection as he had no passport to travel through the normal channel. His Chinese employer refused to return his passport to him.




Two days ago the Immigration Dept made a swoop on an employment agency in KL and rescued 105 women migrant workers locked in two floors above the agency office and made to work without wages and proper living quarters.

Why is our government oblivious to this horrendous and shameful act that have put this country to shame?

Self-Serving Cowards: Aptitude Of Sabah Politicians

Hantu Laut

Not that I agree with former PM Mahathir's take on the thorny issue of illegal immigrants in Sabah but it has become a laughable KDM politician's bogeyman every time elections is round the corner. A KDM pudding to win brownie point with KDM voters.

When the frogs were in power and busying themselves stripping state assets and looting the state resources there was no illegal immigrants problem then. Everything was hunky-dory.

Here, Mr Toad Bamburing called Mahathir a 'traitor' and forgets he is a village 'frog' equally to be blamed for Sabah woes. Why did he not called Mahathir a traitor when he was in the government?

Don't blame Mahathir, it is you Sabah politicians who have no balls to stand up against him when he was in power. What Sabah is today is the consequence of your cowardice and selfishness.

"The world is full of cravens who pretended to be heroes" George R.R.Martin in his "A Game Of Thrones"

If you haven't read the book watch the HBO tv series.

Self-serving cowards, the apt description of most Sabah politicians.

Harris:Government Can Grant Citizenship To Immigrants

Kota Kinabalu: Former Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Salleh said it is not necessary to serve a subpoena on him to appear before the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants in Sabah when it begins hearings.

"I confirm that I will attend at any time, at any place to give evidence and information on the issue of illegals. There is no need to serve a subpoena on me, it is hoped that those people will lower their blood pressure after reading this statement," he said.

"First of all, it must be emphasised and stressed that the power of granting citizenship and issuing identity cards are vested with the Federal Government under the constitution and law", he said, in the statement, Monday.

This power, he said is now vested with the Ministry of Home Affairs and under the Constitution, the Federal Government can grant citizenship to anyone at anytime even after a few days of arrival, if it deems that person is of national interest.

"This is very clear and written in black and white. Thus, the most any person can do is to help make an application and make recommendation for those eligible to apply for either a permanent stay or citizenship," he said.

"Secondly, if my memory serves me right, it is the policy of the Federal Government since the late 1960s or early 1970s that anybody who is eligible to become citizen would be entertained and granted.

"This is particularly true to the refugees from Indo-China and later Philippines. The late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, Malaysia's first Prime Minister announced publicly and openly, the policy that the Federal Government would accept and take Muslim refugees from Myanmar and that non-Muslims could go to Australia, Europe or USA.

"Tunku made this announcement when there were tens of thousands of Myanmar Rohingya refugees coming to Malaysia. It is expected that most of these refugees are now citizens.

"Tunku Abdul Rahman said very clearly in no uncertain terms that those refugees, who are Muslim can stay in Malaysia and would be granted citizenship. This policy is still valid today as the present Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak just a year ago signed an agreement with Australia on a refugee swap with Muslim refugees in Australia coming to Malaysia and non-Muslims going to Australia," he said.

Harris said thus, over the years out of the few hundred thousand Philippine refugees in Sabah, some were issued with IMM13 to allow them to stay in Malaysia, and they must have been accorded citizenship.

Hence, the population increase is a little higher than normal.

On the issue of illegal workers in Sabah, it appeared that there is no study being carried out as to why both employers and employees are at fault, knowing full well the severity of the punishment in store.

However, as pointed out from time to time there were about 200,000 illegal workers who came in legally with passports but over time and due to poor treatment by contractors and high government fees and changing policies, both employers and employees opted to illegal practices.

"It must be noted here that being illegal workers, life is like hell.

They cannot travel around as they like and they will be arrested.

The flow of workers from Indonesia is not going to be forever.

"The Indonesians and Indonesian Government are just 'sakit hati' and waiting for the day when the Indonesian workers will work in their own country. This is happening in Hong Kong where 10 years ago mainland people worked in Hong Kong and now it is the other way around," he said.

In conclusion, Harris said it was puzzling as to why calls for the establishment of the RCI is becoming more and more easy these days.

"Little issues such as people jumping from an apartment and the infamous Lingam tape does not need a RCI.

All these can be handled by the police," he said.

In the United Kingdom which has introduced the RCI more than 500 years ago, one never noticed any RCI being appointed on many important issues unlike in Malaysia.

"It is further noted that the Teoh and Lingam cases were just a waste of time to the commission panels and waste of government money," he said. Daily Express.

'Let Sabah deal with the illegal immigrants'

Hantu Laut

Obviously, the Federal government showed no interest in resolving the problem for political reasons.

This man should be made a Sabah minister. He has more sense and balls than some of our ministers who kowtowed to the Federal government who had acted most irresponsibly toward Sabah on the illegal immigrants issue.

A resolution should be passed at the State Legislative Assembly to ask the Federal government to hand over the responsibility to the state to get rid of the illegals.

By Ivan Ho

LAHAD DATU: A senior Barisan Nasional member here has called on the federal government to stop dragging its feet on the illegal immigrant issue in Sabah.

"There is no more need for studies or laboratories. It is time for action. If the federal government can’t do it, then give us the authority, financial resources and all the logistical help and we will do the job," Silam BN secretary, Kassim Sulaiman, said yesterday.

He said the illegal immigrant issue is a federal matter and the federal government should understand the legitimate fear that Sabahans harbour about being outnumbered by foreigners.

"Today, this issue has changed the demographic, economic and political landscape of Sabah and if left unchecked, is detrimental to Sabah's interest."

Kassim, who is also a Lahad Datu district councillor, said it was regrettable that the federal government was not acting simply because the issue was not deemed important (as stated by Minister in the Prime Minister Department Idris Jala in Kota Kinabalu recently).

"The federal government can't say that the problem of illegal immigrants is of no national importance and thus cannot be included in the NKRA (National Key Result Areas).

"The federal leaders know that Sabah has contributed so much to the country economically and politically, and so they should give priority to our main concern – the presence of illegals in the state.

"The attitude shown by the federal government is disappointing because Sabah, as a component of the nation, should be accorded better treatment."

Constitutional arrangement

Kassim said the fall of Sabah from one of the richest states in Malaysia to one of the poorest was alarming.

He added that he was made to understand that nothing concrete has come out from the laboratory studies on the (illegal immigrant) issue though recommendations had been made to federal government.

"Sabah is important to BN and as the second largest Umno state, it could play a pivotal role (in the country's politics). Therefore, Sabah's concerns are important," he said.

The federal government has no option but to include the illegal immigrant issue in the NKA, he said.

"Alternatively, through constitutional arrangement, equip Sabah with the power and adequate resources to deal with the matter.”

Source:Free Malaysia Today

Majaps & SLA Seminar: Good Discourses

Hantu Laut

The Prime Minister recently announced 11 goodies and one of which is to expedite birth registration in Sabah and Sarawak.It is good news for Sabahans who failed to register their births either out of ignorance or due to logistic problem especially those in the rural areas where most of the problem lies.It is good news and bad news.

Sabah is a hotbed for illegal immigrants and has been a torn in the flesh for many Sabahans since USNO days when the then Chief Minister Tun Mustapha Harun, with Federal government blessings, allowed his kinsmen from the Southern Philippines to enter Sabah freely as refugees.From a few thousands the number has over the years exploded to a few hundred thousand and increasing.The multiplier effect is mind boggling.They are not refugees in the real sense.Majority are economic refugees seeking employment and a better life away from their impoverished existence back home.

The presence of both Filipino and Indonesia illegal immigrants had become a thorny issue and it wouldn't be wrong to assume there are more of them than us, the real Sabahans.Even more worrying many have, legally or otherwise, obtained Malaysian identity cards giving them illegibility to vote. The table below shows Sabah population growth in comparison to Sarawak.

Population growth in Sabah and Sarawak between 1970 and 2005
	1970	1980	1991	2000	2005
Sabah	648,693	1,1013,003 (56%)	1,808,848 (78%)	2,603,400 (44%)	3,250,000
Sarawak	976,269	1,235,553 (27%)	1,642771 (33%)	2,012,616 (23%)	2,300,000
Number within brackets: rates of increase.

From the table we can see that between 1970 and 2000, the population of Sabah grew by 1,954,707 or 301%, while the figure for Sarawak was 1,036,347 or 106%. In other words, Sabah's population grew at a rate three times faster than Sarawak!

Excuse my language, are Sabahans men better fuckers than our brothers in Sarawak.I'll leave that to you wild imagination.Unfortunately, for whatever reasons, the Federal government has not been very cooperative in solving this problem.

My focus is on the recent seminar organised by Majaps (Council of Justices of the Peace Sabah) and SLA (Sabah Law Association) attended by lawyers,JPs, judges,politicians and the general public.The session was chaired by President of SLA Datuk John Sikayun.Many good things have come out of this seminar on the rules and regulations proposed on the issuance of late registration of birth certificate.

The one that should be seriously considered for implementation is the proposal by Tan Sri Bernard Dompok and Philip Lasimbang and supported by the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Richard Malanjun for applications of late birth registration to be displayed at the kampong, District Office or newspaper. It would be even better if all three can be done to give wider coverage to enable the authority to detect fraudulent applications through objections from the public.Magistrate can only endorse applications when he is fully satisfied with the information provided by witnesses.If I may add the display at the kampong and District Office should be kept for at least thirty days before the application can be heard.

If I may indulge in my personal experience in this unfair or I would say unconstitutional ways the Nati0nal Registration treated Sabahans and Sarawakians in depriving them of their rightful citizenship.Some 30 years ago I employed a Kadazan girl from Penampang to work in my office as a secretary.At the time of interview I sighted her identity card and was surprised it was red in colour.I asked her since she is Kadazan how come she has red I/C which means she is either stateless or a permanent residence status.This is where circumstances and ignorance has deprived the poor girl of her citizenship.According to her she was born in Brunei a few years after Malaysia Day and her father registered her birth in Brunei instead of in Sabah.When she came back to Sabah still as a child the government refused to give her citizenship and gave her the red I/C instead.The ridiculous thing is both her parents are Malaysians and she is not. Dorie worked for my company for five years before leaving for greener pasture.I hope she has secured her citizenship by now.

The Sabah government under Chief Minister Musa Aman should pursue this with the Federal government to fund all related costs including logistic costs of the Mobile Court which was mooted by Chief Judge of Sabah And Sarawak Tan Sri Richard Malanjun.He should be lauded for this brilliant idea and one that can protect us from fraudulent applications by foreigners.

It is also imperative that the JPN should not be allowed to conduct the exercise without participation of the Mobile court and all related costs including advertisement in newspaper and costs incurred by the Mobile Court be paid by the National Registration Department.

A transcription of the seminar appeared in today's Sunday edition of the Daily Express.

More such seminar should be held to gether public views on issues of great concern to Sabahans.

Sabah Population Explosion

Hantu Laut

SAPP's MP for Sepanggar Eric Mojimbun said he would reveal the details that led to Sabah population explosion.He said the population has increased by a mind-boggling 285% between 1970 to 2000.

Sabahans have always complained about the high presence of aliens among the population and much to their frustration the Federal Government have ignored their plea to take appropriate action to rid the state of illegal immigrants.

Many aliens have been issued with Malaysian identity cards clandestinely by some unknown elements to fulfill their own political agenda.The Federal have time and again refused to look into the problems in spite of repeated calls by some Sabah leaders.Most Sabahans are at a loss as their pleas have fallen on deaf ears and the State Government has no power to deal with the matter.

The UNDP charts below would show that the fear of Sabah being overwhelmed by foreigners is not unfounded.

UNDP - Sabah Human Development Statistics - Upload a Document to Scribd

From the above charts one can conclude that Sabahans fear of becoming foreigners in their own land is real and if that is not enough it is also the poorest state in Malaysia due to years of plunder by state leaders and past neglect by the central power.

Although I may not agree with some of SAPP recent political rhetoric I believe an expos'e would be most welcome to reveal the truth and bring to book those responsible for this treacherous act.

The population in 1970 was 653,800.In 2007 the official figure was 3.4 million. The true figure of true Sabahan population would not be more than 1.5 million.To make matter worse the supposedly transient population had become permanent residents and multiplying faster than the local population and overwhelming the state public health care, educational facilities and other public amenities.

Don't you think we have become foreigners in our own land ?

Stupid Diplomat:Mind Your Own Business

Hantu Laut

Some people just have no sense of shame and has no balls to put their name on an official statement they made to the media.

A Filipino diplomat who wanted to stay anonymous because he has no balls said the economy of Malaysia particularly Sabah would collapse if the Malaysian government continue to deport illegal immigrant.The diplomat said the number of Filipinos in Sabah alone could reach 400,000.

Every Sabahan knew that figure, which was also agreed by the Malaysian government, is wrong and manufactured by the Federal government.The actual figure of mostly illegal Filipino immigrants is close to 1 million and another 300,000 Indonesians, making almost 1.3 million of them scattered all over the state.The ratio is almost 1:1, that's one illegal for every Sabahan.

The government refused to admit the correct figure because it would show how irresponsible they have been toward providing security to the state.

Sabahans have been besieged by the presence of these aliens for decades and the situation is getting worse day by day by letting in new arrivals.Their different cultural background and social behaviour breeds contempt among ethnic Sabahans.

The Philippines government and the unnamed diplomat should be ashamed of themselves for the abject poverty in their country that drove their citizens to seek better life in other countries illegally.Every one of its government, past and present, are only interested to rob the country and run it to the ground.

President Arroyo ! I think it's time you wake up and deal with the problem with probity rather than letting your stupid diplomat to make equally stupid statement.

Below is the article:

DIPLOMAT SAYS:
Deportations may lead to collapse of Malaysia economy
By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 08:35:00 07/21/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- The economy of Malaysia, particularly of Sabah, could collapse if its government continues with the crackdown and deportation of so-called illegal migrant workers, including hundreds of thousands of Filipinos, a Filipino diplomat said.

The diplomat, who requested anonymity as he does not have any authority to speak on the issue, affirmed earlier reports that Filipinos in Sabah are allowed to vote in Sabah elections, and that they are then deported in regular anti-illegal migrants campaigns.

"This follows a regular cycle. After every election, the politicians seek to show their teeth and after a concessional deportation of a few thousands, they would again look the other way because they also realize the contribution that our people have on their economy. Without them, their economy would collapse," he said.

The diplomat said the number of Filipinos in Sabah alone could reach as many as 400,000.

While there are no official estimates, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Esteban Conejos puts the number at around 200,000, while Malaysia puts the number at around 300,000.

Told that the Malaysian government has expressed "seriousness" in ridding the island of "illegal migrants," the unnamed Filipino diplomat said, "Their seriousness is limited by their logistics. Imagine deporting that many people. They would lose their shirt."

Both sides agree that the Philippines' un-acted claim over Sabah complicates the deportation further because while the country seeks for an orderly deportation of Filipinos from Sabah, it cannot formally set up a consulate office there as it would effectively be recognizing Malaysia's claim over Sabah. A consulate office in Sabah would facilitate the documentation of the deportees, who for the most part were born and raised in Sabah and know no other home but Sabah.

Malaysia contends that it has jurisdiction over Sabah because the people of Sabah have so chosen, and it occupies the oil-rich island. International law experts agree that occupation is nine-tenths of any similar claim.

The Philippines' claim is based on historical records, which indicate that the sultanate of Sulu owns Sabah. This is supported by the annual lease payment made by the Sabah government to the sultan and his heirs.

After the March elections in Malaysia, its government has stepped up deportations, sending back around 250 “illegal migrants” each week to Zamboanga City, where the Philippine government has set up a one-stop processing center composed of officials from the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the Department of Foreign Affairs .Read more...

They came by boats, some as pirates.Remember the Sipadan kidnapping?

You have accused the Malaysian government of using your citizens to vote illegally in our elections.Show us the evidence so we Sabahans can kick the asses in Putrajaya.

Mr Diplomat, please indentify yourself, so our government can send a protest letter to your Embassy.

Which economy would collapse? Ours or Yours ? Ours had collapsed a few times but recovered quickly.Do you see millions of Malaysian as economic refugees in other country? Does our economy depend on overseas remittances like yours?

Yours, collapsed under the Marcos regime and have not recovered ever since and the problem is you and most Filipinos are still living in cloud cuckoo land.

That's why your country is in such a mess. There are just too many morons like you.

Let's Hope It's Not "Panas -Panas Tahi Ayam"

Hantu Laut

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak announced that the government will soon launch a massive operation to flush out illegal immigrants in Sabah. He said those without valid documents will be deported to a country that is willing to accept them. What that means,I am not sure. One thing I know for sure not many countries will accept them if they are not citizens of the country.Even the Philippines government have refused to accept its own citizens.

There are many Filipinos and Indonesians in Sabah who are paperless because they destroyed their travel documents to erase any hint of them being Filipinos or Indonesians.There have been cases where the Philippines government have refused to issue travel documents to allow them to return to their country after being arrested by our security forces.

The Philippines government refusal to open consulate office in the state to expedite issuance of travel documents to its citizens and not dropping its claims on Sabah should be viewed as unfriendly and a form of aggression towards Malaysia.The Indonesians have been more accommodating with repatriation of her citizens.They have two consulate offices in Sabah.

Many Filipinos are languishing in detention camps at the expense of  the Malaysian taxpayers because the bloody irresponsible and shameless Philippines government couldn't care less about its citizens. Every government that came along had ignored the problems leaving the burden to the people of Sabah to bear.

The Federal government past indifference to the problem is a permeation of its arrogance when it was less politically vulnerable and conveniently chose to ignore the plea of Sabahans to deal with the problems.

Let's hope this time it is not another exercise to pull the wool over Sabahans' eyes like all previous exercises, as the Malay idiom, panas-panas tahi ayam (temporal heat of chicken shit) says of such gestures that is insincere and short-lived.

Just rounding up those illegals and sending them back to their home country is not going to remove the thorn in the flesh.Almost all of those that have been sent back, somehow, returned either illegally, some with the help of corrupt personnel in our enforcement and security forces and others with the help of equally corrupt Immigration officers of their home country, given new passport with new identity. The vicious cycle goes round and round and we would be back to square one unless something concrete, sincere and viable is implemented.

As the Philippines government are not helpful and not responding to our appeal, harsh measures must be taken to resolve the problem once and for all.

The Federal government should consider doing all of the following.

1.The task force empowered to flush out illegals should comprise at least 30% Sabahans.The reason behind this is that the personnel from Peninsula can't tell the difference between the 'ducks and the chickens', only Sabahans can tell whether they are illegal immigrants or not.

2.Close the border with the Philippines for the next six months to incoming traffic and repatriate as many illegals as possible during the period.

3.All illegals, before being sent back, must be photographed and fingerprinted and such details to be made available on all Immigration computers at all entry points in Sabah. If poor country like Cambodia can keep a bank of photographs of all its visitors to the country, no reason Malaysia not able to do so, as long as no one profit too much from purchase of the software and equipments.

4.Refuse re-entry of those that have been sent back and only allow those with confirmed employment contract to enter. 

5.Increase  air and sea surveillance of the sea borders with our neighbours.

6.Naturalise those who had been here for two decades or more.

The government is either ignorant or closed its eyes to the massive corruption within the enforcement agencies.Here lies the most insidious disease of all and one which can easily be wiped out if there were strong will to do so.

It's time the government carry out intense indoctrination of the enforcement agencies on the importance of patriotism and the dire consequence of taking bribes from illegal immigrants.

Ask both legitimate and illegal immigrants or any Sabahan for that matter about the infamous check point at Mile 38 Kota Kinabalu-Sandakan-Tawau highway. How some of those manning the check point were rumoured to be able to collect more than what the Prime Minister is paid.The check point has since been closed down.

Sabahans have to be practical about this long-standing issue and not be too unreasonable and demand the impossible as expressed by some KDM leaders that they want the state to be totally rid of all Filipinos and Indonesians.

On humanitarian ground, as much as we hated it, some of those who have been here for decades should be considered for naturalisation. 

To think that only Sabahans are faced with this problem is a fallacy.The U.S have similar problem with its Hispanic neighbour and many European countries faced similar threat from influx of African and Asian immigrants legal or otherwise.

Sabah is in a sorrier state because there are just too many of them which require some cleaning up by the Federal government.

Let's hope this is not another 'panas-panas tahi ayam'

ARE THE KADAZANS BACK TO THEIR OLD ELEMENTS ?

Hantu Laut

Sabah will see one of the biggest tussle between BN, PKR and DAP.The biggest headache for BN is not the Mazu issue or the Chinese voters, it is the KDM (Kadazan Dusun Murut) electorates.

The three Kadazan based parties are not expected to do well in the coming polls due to widespread dissatifactions with their leaders for failure to address crucial issues. The loss of customary rights to their land, the perennial issue of illegal immigrants and the issuance of citizenship papers to illegal immigrants.

These contentious issues of illegal immigrants have made the local populace uncomfortable and suspicious of the motives of the Federal government for its refusal to find a permanent solution to resolve the problems. The state government had little power over the matters and the thorn have been in the flesh since the days of the USNO government.All subsequent governments including PBS, the Kadazan dominated government previously, had been unable to address the problem. The natives in Sabah consider the inaction of the Federal government as an exercise to further Malay hegemonic control over the state.

The issues of large tract of land given out to big companies is not a new issue but are problems created by the Kadazan leaders when they were in power. Thousands of acres of land earmarked to be given to smallholders by the then BERJAYA government were sold to Peninsula Malaysia based companies with financial benefits taken by those in power. Economic generators started by the BERJAYA government like SFI Paper Mill, Sponge Iron Plant and many others were sold to private companies from the Peninsula.

Yet the very man who destroyed Sabah's future together with his big brother when they were running the state and reputedly stole billions is now seen as a saviour of the KDM people through PKR, a Peninsula based party.

Sabah is now the biggest producer of palm oil and most big plantations are owned by Peninsula based companies giving the state very little left in term of cash revenue and investment resources. All financial transactions relating to this trade are done in Kuala Lumpur. Most Sabahans felt left out and deprived of the chance to enjoy the economic boom of the oil palm industry.

Most of the Kadazan leaders have little integrity and principle, with aptitude for kampong cunningness, rather than political shrewdness. History would repeat itself and the KDM will return to their old element of abandoning the BN through stealthy manipulations. The October 1990 state election was reminiscent of the brand of politics inherent in this community. PKR may win some seats in Sabah but are likely to lose all of it later to katak lumpat (party-hopping) if they can't form the next state government, which is an almost impossible task given the gerrymandered electoral boundaries.

The case of Jornah Mozihim, the assembly woman for Matunggong was an example of lack of integrity and principle of its President, Datuk Seri Pairin Kitingan who has written to her and confirmed in writing her candidacy.She was kicked out the last minute without her being given prior knowledge of the last minute change. The same goes with Tan Sri Bernard Dompok who shifted his party stalwart Donald Mojuntin, the incumbent for Penampang to Moyog and kicked out Philip Lasimbang from Moyog to ensure a safe seat for himself in Penampang.

The President of PBRS, Tan Sri Joseph Kurup must be the luckiest candidate.He went unopposed due to disqualification of the other two candidates. Kurup abandoned his constituency of Sook where he won by a slim majority of 395 in 2004 to escape from being slaughtered by Jeffery Kitingan in the forthcoming polls.He kicked out Bernard Maraat and took his seat. He was expected to lose if the seat was contested.

SUPP President Yong Tet Lee may have shot himself in the foot when he said he will retain all the incumbents of his party as they have done a good job and expected to get the Api-Api seat for himself which he failed to secure. He could have forced anyone of his boys to vacate a seat for him.He has shown chivairous principle by not doing what Dompok and Kurup did.

The political soothsayers predicted almost all the Kadazan leaders from the BN component parties including Joseph Pairin will have an uphill battle to retain their seats.

The KDM are back to their old elements. PKR is expected to capture significant number of seats from the Kadazan heartland but they are also predicted to abandon PKR for greener pasture.