The National Security Council checks what kind of documents or identification papers illegals hold when they are taken to the document checking centres.
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah National Security Council (NSC) has denied that MyKads are being handed out to illegal immigrants under the guise of checking documents at specific centres.
“We do not give them MyKads at the document checking centres,” clarified Sabah Security Secretary Rodzi Mohd Saad. “The task of the NSC is to arrest illegal immigrants, not issue them with MyKads.”
He was commenting on Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS) Vice-President Paul Kadau claiming in the local media that the NSC was handing out MyKads to illegal immigrants under the guise of checking them at document checking centres. He implied that it was not known what kind of documents that the NSC could possibly expect illegal immigrants to hold.
The Sabah Security Secretary said that Kadau was trying to cast aspersions on the NSC and paint it in a negative light in view of the on-going operations against illegal immigrants. “The people should give the NSC the benefit of the doubt.”
Rodzi added that the NSC needs to check on what kind of documentation or identification papers, if any, that illegal immigrants hold. “Anyone suspected of being an illegal immigrant is put in a lorry during operations and sent to the document checking centre to see whether he or she had any kind of documentation or identification papers.”
“We would examine and analyse such documentation or identification papers.”
Rodzi, continuing, said that those with MyKads would be separated from those who had other papers. “We would then examine the validity of their passports, if any, and arrest those who are in the country illegally.”
Citing some figures, Rodzi said that 474 Filipino detainees aged one month to 80 years old were sent back to Zamboanga in the southern Philippines from Sandakan Port on Thursday. “Of the total, 250 were men, 138 women and 86 children.”
“The process of sending back illegal immigrants back to their countries of origin was a continuous process to help solve the phenomenon in the country.”
He could not immediately say whether the authorities concerned had any plans to track illegal immigrants who returned, allegedly the next day, through the “backdoor”.
He reminded the people not to put the entire responsibility for resolving the problem of illegal immigrants on the authorities. “Every member of the community must play his or her role in helping ensure that Sabah was free of illegal immigrants,” said Rodzi. “We have always appealed for co-operation and feedback and the provision of information on the presence of illegal immigrants.”
Sabahans, he said, could make a start by first not resorting to employing foreign labour illegally. “Instead, they should in fact be reporting the presence of illegal immigrants to the authorities.”
According to NSC figures, from 1990 to June this year, 513, 862 illegal immigrants were arrested and detained for various offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63 (2002 Amendment) and Immigration Rules 1963. Apparently, 74, 210 returned voluntarily during the period to their home countries, while 422,017 had to be returned home by the authorities. It’s not known what became of another 17,635 who were arrested and detained.
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