Puteri Umno Sabah opposes lifting of ban on pump boats
KOTA KINABALU: Puteri Umno Sabah has strongly opposed the decision of the Warisan-led State government in lifting the ban on the use of pump boats in Sabah waters.
Head of the movement, Noorazmahirah Noorzain said the governemnt understood that the previous Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) government’s decision to ban the use of pump boats was for security reason in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE).
She said pump boats were often used by some irresponsible parties to engage in criminal activities such as smuggling, robbing and kidnapping.
“It was even more intimidating that these criminal elements brought in firearms (to Sabah) and carried out subversive actions as what had happened during the intrusions of a group of militants in Lahad Datu and Semporna district a few years ago,” said Noorazmahirah in her speech at the Puteri Uumno’s annual general meeting in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Noorazmahirah, who represented Puteri Umno Sabah, thus described the new State government’s decision in lifting the ban on pump boats usage as inappropriate.
“The cancellation of the ban has forced the security forces to increase patrol beats in crime- prone areas in Sabah waters, and also makes it more difficult to pursue the culprits in shallow waters.”
Commenting on another issue, Noorazamahirah also questioned the new State government’s on-going exercise of providing foreigners with identification documents to enable them to live and work in Sabah.
“This move would lead to an influx of illegal immigrants to Sabah which had previously been burdened with difficulties in restricting their entry and expelling them.
“We are facing a lot of complex problems about the presence of illegal immigrants and now it looks like the new state government wants to add more to the problems.
“The big numbers of illegal immigrants and migrant workers would likely lead to an incrase in crimes and social ills apart from undermining the rights of the natives in the State,” she added.