Involve UN in resolving Sabah’s illegals problem — Pairin

KOTA KINABALU: Outgoing Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan suggested the party’s new leadership set up a special committee to find a solution to the perennial illegal immigrants problem in the state.

Speaking to reporters at 33rd PBS Delegates Congress in Penampang yesterday, Pairin said he was of the opinion that as the problem not only affects Malaysia, there was a need to involve the world community and international powers, especially through the United Nations, to resolve it.

“That is why I am suggesting the establishment of a specific committee by the party through the new leadership so that this will open up avenues and channels not only within the country.

“It is also to ensure that the matter is focused upon with the aim towards overcoming the problem, because when this kind of issues are resolved, it benefits all the countries,” he said.

Resolving the problem will stabilize the country these people fled from and they will go back to work within the country to develop the country (and) do whatever is supposed to be done by the citizens.

They will then not allow the situation to break them up, to disintegrate them so that they become refugees outside their own country, he stressed.

Pairin pointed out that a proper solution must be found and lamented that the state could not deal with this by itself.

He took the federal government to task for being too focused on other matters including doing away with capital punishment for murder and other serious crimes.

“They listed out 33 focuses for doing away with capital punishment. I am just wondering why they are looking at that because we are talking about economy, finance, unity and all this but they seem to be focusing on changing the law which includes doing away with capital punishment.

“It is supposed to be a preventative law, why go and disturb this? Bad enough as it is with capital punishment, there is still murder and drug trafficking etc. Our neighbour, the Philippine government, is taking serious deterrent steps against drug traffickers so there is no logic in trying to do away with capital punishment.

“Now we are complaining about child abuse. If you do away with capital punishment, what is there to deter people from committing crime? You are encouraging them, this is against the interest of the people,” Pairin said.