The Star
Monday May 19, 2008
Lim to bring up Sabah’s problem
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s longstanding illegal immigrant problem may be discussed at length in Parliament this week if a motion concerning the issue is allowed.
DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said yesterday he would table a motion to amend the motion of thanks on the royal address on tomorrow’s sitting.
The amendment, he said, called for the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to resolve the long-standing problem of illegal immigrants in Sabah, to the extent that there was legitimate fear that Sabahans were being outnumbered by foreigners in their own state.
Lim, the Ipoh Timur MP, said he had given notice to Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia on the motion on Friday.
He said the establishment of the Royal Commission of Inquiry would become a reality if Barisan MPs lent their support to the motion.
“It can be considered somewhat a test for the Barisan MPs who have voiced their concerns in and out of Parliament over the Government’s complete indifference to the problem.
“Malaysians will be watching to see what the Sabah and other MPs will do,” he said Sunday after launching the Sabah DAP Kaamatan (harvest festival).
#1 by lkc57 on Monday, 19 May 2008 - 10:50 am
Kit, frankly, we are growing sick of too many royal commissions of inquiry. They are wasting resources – time, money and human. None of the findings of rci have so far led to physical action to address issues and problems. This doing of the relevant parties have rendered the rci to a phrase to mean “all talking but no real action”.
I was at Sandakan last week. I saw a small team of rela carrying out their operation – 2 rela were chasing after some illegals and 2 were just standing there watching “the act”.
Obviously, the authorities are not serious in addressing the issues. We have seen, one after another wakil rakyat of Sabah voicing out their strong statements about attitude of the central government.
The small men on the streets in Sabah are already suffering – with income less than their fellows in KL, but living cost equivalent to that in KL (if not higher), how can they survive the inflation?
Pak Lah and his men must listen to their plight if they still want to be the government. Ethical or unethical, the switch to BR is becoming more real by the minutes, wanted by the people!
#2 by concerncinapek on Monday, 19 May 2008 - 10:55 am
This is the moment i am waiting for to see whether the motion will be carried fo discussion. Sad to say this problem has been going on for many many years without much debate. Past politician has shown their indifference on this matter. Let us hope the “new” energised or paradigm shift MP can do somehing this time around.
This is not only Sabahan problems but all malaysian as illegals are ” now legal” as reported in newspaper and have same rights as malaysian. while others genuine PR are still waiting anxiously ( grown beard and/or grey hair) for their citizenship and govt authorities are still taking very long time to make a ” correct” and careful decision (a privilege not rights) when compared to decision make on sabah illegal migrants.
#3 by limkamput on Monday, 19 May 2008 - 10:59 am
Yes, Sdr Lim, Just Do It. As I see it, the sudden resurgence of bravery of MPs from Sabah is nothing more than talk and talk. They are just capitalising on the present weakness not to seek redress to the long outstanding illegal immigration issue but to secure for themselves more lucrative positions and perks. I think it is also important to publicise as widely as possible whatever you want to do in Parliament tomorrow to ordinary Sabahans. It is important that they know what is going on so that they can pressure their respective representatives.
Having said that, may I know why are you on this alone? I think the silence from PKR and PAS is deafening. Are they not interested to see the situation changed in Sabah or is it because they have different objectives?
In addition to Sabah, I think it is also time to go after Sarawak. I am sure there are many issues there that the Sarawakians want changed.
#4 by oknyua on Monday, 19 May 2008 - 12:13 pm
Sabah and Sarawak MPs are just glad to sit pretty for 4 years without contributing for the trust the people gave them. This illegal in Sabah is NOT a new issue – Mustapha, Harris, Parin, Osu, Yong Teck Lee – they knew about it. Under UMNO, this is raised as an issue. Why?
UMNO politicians got at their posts from illegals. They knew it. Remove these illegals, they would struggle over the more independent minded Chinese, Kadazan voters. Then the balance of power could change. Would UMNO MPs risk that? Yes, if PR is an alternative. But PR’s manifesto is “clean and fair government.” Many of these MPs are anything but clean and fair. See the dilemma here? My bet is that UNO PMs could be bothered to clean the streets of KK of these illegals. The people suffer of course, but a clean KK at the expense of their MPs’ post? No way.
#5 by cvl on Monday, 19 May 2008 - 12:28 pm
Arguably, this can be the Waterloo for all these MPs from Sabah…..they will likely go to their political graves post this RCI tabling.
Sabah’s MP will not voice support for LKS on this RCI…and as it should for this would be the reference point for all thinking Sabahan voters to relegate these limps to where they belong – out of political offices- in the future.
#6 by badak on Monday, 19 May 2008 - 2:59 pm
Money money money….
#7 by max2811 on Monday, 19 May 2008 - 4:30 pm
There are more illegals there than the number of Indians in the whole country. This is the doing of UMNO under TDM. He has done so much damage due to his hatred of the Chinese. Dunno why God made them a lesser specie. Only good for brandishing knives, bullying, corruption, mat rempits…………..
The new Gov should check the IDs, passports to see if the are real. They should start with the “what Nor”, “what mamak” who claimed and challenged the non-bumis to leave.
Massive job. But the police are so afraid to go in.
#8 by Joshua on Monday, 19 May 2008 - 4:33 pm
Tun M’s sudden resignation can disrupt this as his name and many other official corrupters is linked to project IC…
Let the time bomb explodes now… an end to BN and illegal woes via the parliament…
Would the parliament be dissolved sooner now???
#9 by PSM on Monday, 19 May 2008 - 4:53 pm
“KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s longstanding illegal immigrant problem may be discussed at length in Parliament this week if a motion concerning the issue is allowed”.
Will it be allowed? Does the BN want a debate on this now? NO!
#10 by myint3 on Monday, 19 May 2008 - 8:11 pm
Uncle Lim, sorry to hear about the egg pelting incident in KK. I’m sitting at a Restaurant & Bar called Upperstar which is located in Segama Complex, near Hyatt Hotel and Wisma Merdeka in KK. As I am typing this, I see few street children, I think all of them are barefoot and dirty looking, they are illegal immigrants. Filipinos.
I didn’t know that DBKK(Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu) hire filipino children to man the parking areas around Segama Complex these days? I see them directing patrons to vacant parking space and then asking for tips.
Personally, I was once approached by a glue sniffing Filipino teenager as I parked my car. The can of glue was hanging around his neck(with a string to the can). He came out of no where and it scared the hell out of me at first. I was startled. He offered to “look after” my car. I told him that I already have someone looking after my car and just pointed to the general direction of a KTV lounge called Strawberry which happened to have few bouncers sitting at the lift lobby. That scared him away.
#11 by chiakchua on Monday, 19 May 2008 - 10:00 pm
Yes, should set up the RCI on the illegals in Sabah to see if the TDM’s plot to outnumbered the Kadazan for Ketuanan Melayu (in realty Ketuanan UMNO) is true.
#12 by 9to5 on Monday, 19 May 2008 - 10:22 pm
One thing you can be sure – if it is to UMNO advantage, it could have easily solved the Sabah illegal immigrant problem within weeks as it has the PDRM, AG, Immigration Department and ACA under its thumb. Yet we see it festers for decades! Why?
Because it does not benefit UMNO and it doesn’t want to solve the problem! It is as simple as that.
It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out that UMNO’s intention to give these illegal muslim immigrants citizenship in Sabah is to spread Islam dominance in the continent and to increase the voting support for UMNO. Muslim and UMNO are always synonymous.
What it is clearly trying to do in to inject the same deadly virus in Peninsula Malaysia found to be working very well into a new host – Sabah and Sarawak. But Sarawak under the wily old goat, Taib Mohd, is more alert; so far he is successful in setting a barrier for the virus to enter Sarawak.
At the same time the new virus seeks to weaken or dilute the powers of non-UMNO parties who are known to be unreliable to UMNO as well as the other religions in the area. Already you have seen the deadly symptoms of the virus which manifest in the 12th GE where you see UMNO making more inroads.
Other than the deadly virus, the wily UMNO has planted trojans in the form of yes-men, obedient chief ministers (maybe with the exception of Chong Kah Kiat) who were given much leeway in corruptions and plunder of the rich resources of the state in return for their loyalty to UMNO.
If non-UMNO Sabah political parties do not stem the spread of UMNO virus, later on the original Sabahans and Sarawakians will have no defence immunity system left to ward off this deadly virus! You know UMNO is the spreader of this virus and yet sabahans dream on that UMNO will be able to find a cure?
It’s high time Sabahans find another doctor in PR to tackle this deadly virus and trojans! And you need to do that quickly lest it is too late to cure the disease!
#13 by pai on Tuesday, 20 May 2008 - 1:45 pm
LKS, go ahead & make it a D-Day today for the illegal immigrants in Sabah (with or without Project I.C.)! Regardless of all the noices made by the Sabah’s BN component parties, a huge number of the people of Sabah are keen to see you hammer UMNO on this issue in the Parliament. I just don’t see anyone who’s willing to hit as hard as you would.
Despite the vast dissatisfaction of the urban voters in Sabah towards the BN Govt during the GE-12, DAP could only wrest a single parliamentary seat in Sabah from BN. I think this was due to a deep suspicion or even distrust existed among Sabahans towards Peninsula’s based parties in fighting for the rights of Sabahans.
Therefore, DAP needs to have an approach on this which is different to Keadilan while DSAI is orchestrating a crossover of MPs from BN/UMNO. It’s likely that many UMNO MPs actually benefited from Project I.C., that’s why Keadilan is obviously silent on this issue. So DAP, go ahead and show Sabahans that DAP could be counted upon in fighting for the rights of Sabanhans.
#14 by wag-the-dog on Tuesday, 20 May 2008 - 3:03 pm
MIC Rebranding – Heading for Failure
Visit http://www.wagthedog-malaysia.blogspot.com for details.
#15 by k1980 on Tuesday, 20 May 2008 - 5:37 pm
Hope the illegal immigrants here won’t follow what had been done in Jaipur
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23718469-2703,00.html
#16 by Captain on Saturday, 24 May 2008 - 11:16 am
I am more interested in seeing how Sabah MPs will react on Kit’s motion on the overwhelming foreigners in Sabah who are overtaking locals in numbers.
If they support Kit, that will be the beginning of end of BN in Sabah. If they oppose Kit’s motion, they would be a traitor to indegenious people of Sabah and BN will start counting its last days too. Either way, BN in Sabah in finished.
It is time we hear clear opinion/comments of non-BN Sabah leaders on this issue. They must lead forming the opinion of the locals to stand against BN leaders who are now proving to be traitors to the locals.
The only way Sabah BN elected leaders can redeem their honor is to support Kit, win Sabah peoples’ confidence and hop into DAP and Keadilan. It will be a win-win situation. They win, Pakatan win. With Pakatan Govt at Federal level, more benefits will come the way of Sabah. If Sarawak BN leaders have any subtantance between their ears, they will follow suit. Don’t they know how the CM family get their riches?