Illegals a serious issue in Sabah: Anwar
January 16, 2006
Daily Express

WHEN pointed out that some of the leaders joining Keadilan Sabah may be "political rejects" or had fallen out of favour with the BN leadership, Anwar replied:

"I made it very clear that they do so on the principle of no personal agenda."

He claimed civil servants in the country had also approached the party on their unhappiness.

He also said there is need to administer the State Government effectively and have its jurisdiction recognised without interference by Federal machinery.

Anwar was responding to former Bingkor Assemblyman, Datuk Dr Jeffrey, who asked whether he would respect and restore the autonomy of Sabah relating to the 20-Points if Keadilan came to power.

Dr Jeffrey said autonomy is an important question for Malaysians in Sabah "because what was promised and agreed upon in 1963 must be respected so that we all live together in a spirit of mutual respect as Malaysians."

However, Anwar emphasised the need to ensure that Sabah and Sarawak feel as part and parcel of the entire nation.

Former State Minister of Social Services, Datuk Kong Hong Ming, wanted to know what Keadilan would do to tackle the issue of illegal immigrants (PTIs) if the party gained power.

Anwar said the issue has to be tackled in a comprehensive manner, but noted that the problem in Semenanjung is not as acute as in Sabah.

"How our friends in Semenanjung perceive the issue of foreign workers (including the illegals or PTIs) is not the same as seen here. It is very severe (in Sabah)."

He asserted that it is very important that we have capable leaders who are prepared to argue and articulate the issue well.

"Our problem hereËe have Cabinet ministers representing Sabah, you have Sabah State Government. But in the exercise of their duties, very little has been said in these things.

"I mean just the political gimmick, but not to argue or present the case effectively in respect of security, criminal activities and also the numbers as stated by Suhakam recently."

Anwar recalled that the policy to accept them and to give them legal status and citizenship was done from 1970 "when I was still a student in university."

He continued: "I have strong humanitarian principles. We have to treat human beings as human beings. We have to treat them not as criminals but as illegals. Be humane, don't arrest and steal their money. Don't cane them, don't treat them like slaves.

"That, we will have to make sure. Don't treat them as if we are barbarians. "This is very important to my mind. I have seen with my own eyes before and at Sungei Buloh Prison how they were being caned.

"They came by the thousands working in Semenanjung for one to two years and coming into prison with nothing. It cannot be. Where is their handphone, where is their money? Where are the expensive trousers?

"All these were taken away and has to stop."

Anwar contended that the legal status of foreign workers also has to be established.

"Otherwise, you are creating a huge Pandora's box opening up, and I don't think we have the capacity to control. Their numbers keep on increasing, we have to put a stop to this."

He reiterated that the Government must be able and be prepared to immediately repatriate the new foreign illegal workers in this country "whether they are involved in criminal activities or not."

On the mode of recruitment, he said agents are being used to bring them (foreign workers) into the country.

"They pay you money, you get the money, bring them in; after some time, we chase them out, you make the money and you treat them like slaves and you leave them.

"This is fundamentally wrong. I want my friends in Sabah to view this comprehensively. Stop these agents making money at the expense of these people. Stop bringing them in and going into villages and encouraging them with their counterparts in Indonesia, or the Philippines, or in India or Bangladesh.

"You check who are the agents - anak Timbalan Menteri, isteri Menteri (children and wives of Ministers). This is what is happening."

Anwar said he was not exaggerating as he had addressed this issue when he was the Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Foreign Workers while in government.

"We came up with specific recommendations -Number One, stop the abuses, foreign workers' agents must be stopped, identify new illegals and send them back immediately and that was when I talked to then Deputy President of Indonesia, Habibie.

"He was very helpful. He sent Indonesian navy ships (patrolling the area) to Port Klang. We sent back 1,000 workers per shipment. That idea is a better option.

"We remain civil and proper in relations with Indonesia or the Philippines. At the same time, we give a very clear message. We cannot take, unemployment is very high; the economy is not doing too well. Poverty is increasing, crime rate is increasing and is causing a big problem for the country and more so in Sabah."

Given this scenario, Anwar said we simply have to be very firm on the issue of illegals.

"And I think if it is a Keadilan policy, we want to make it very clear. Number One, we'll put a clear deadline on the early issues and certify that the papers are legal or proper.

"That new ones will have to be repatriated. Otherwise, it will cause a lot of civil strife in Sabah (in time to come), and we cannot afford security problems in this State." 

Source: http://dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=39509