90,000 illegals repatriated from Sabah since 2013

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah National Security Council (MKN) in collaboration with various enforcement agencies repatriated 93,315 illegal immigrants to their country of origin over a five-year period since 2013.

Sabah MKN director Datuk Rodzi Md Saad said, out of the total, Filipinos accounted for the largest number of illegals totalling 71,912 followed by Indonesia (20,264) and 1,193 others from various nationalities.

He said the repatriation of illegals to their country of origin was part of continuous effort by the federal government to safeguard peace and security in Sabah.

"For the record, we have also sent back a total of 564,087 illegals of various nationalities from 1990 until Jan 1, 2018.

"The government is very serious in addressing the problem of illegal immigrants in Sabah. This is to enhance the people's confidence in the government's endeavour to safeguard the state's security and peace,” he told Bernama when contacted here yesterday.

Rodzi said Sabah MKN would optimise all available resources to launch ongoing and large scale operations in tracking down illegals statewide, among others, holding integrated operations with the police, Immigration Department and National Registration Department.

"The MKN also appreciated the efforts of other government enforcement and security agencies such as the police for conducting their own operations,” he said, adding that it clearly showed their seriousness in ensuring a safe, peaceful and comfortable environment for the people in Sabah. Asked on the development of the temporary detention centres (PTS) in the state, Rodzi said a total of 6,191 illegals of various nationalities were being detained in four PTS throughout the state, namely Manggatal, Papar, Sandakan and Tawau.

Meanwhile, Radzi said the construction of the new PTS in Tawau would commence within a month while the initial proposal to set up a PTS in Lahad Datu has been moved to Sandakan.

He said the existing Sandakan PTS would be replaced with a new one that would double the current capacity of 1,700 to 3,400 at any one time and with a suitable site expected to be identified with the assistance of the Sabah Land and Survey Department within one year's time.

Touching on the same topic, Sabah Suluk Solidarity Council (MPSS) secretary Mohd Zaki Harry Susanto said the earnest efforts by the government in addressing the issue of illegal immigrants in Sabah was evident with the big amount of allocations being provided to conduct such efforts.

"ESSCom (Eastern Sabah Security Command) has also received substantial allocations in the 2018 Budget, reflecting the sincerity of the federal government in preserving the well-being of the people of Sabah in the east coast areas,” he said

Mohd Zaki also proposed that the Malaysian Border Security Agency (AKSEM) be established in Sabah to further strengthen its security and peace efforts in the state and hope that priorities would be given to Sabahans to helm the agency.