Gabungan Sabah promises new ICs to weed out illegals

KOTA KINABALU: Gabungan Sabah intentds to introduce new identification cards (ICs) for “genuine Sabahans” if it takes over the state after GE14.

“The issuance of new Sabah ICs would weed out those who have obtained fake identity documents,” Gabungan Sabah chairman Datuk Mohd Noor Mansor said in a statement.

For many years, there were rumours that during the premiership of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the administration had embarked on “Project IC”, the alleged systematic granting of citizenship to immi- grants to alter the demographics in the state to favour the ruling government in elections.

In 2012, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the formation of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate illegal immigration in Sabah, and by 2014, the RCI concluded that the controversial Project IC had “more likely than not existed”.

Mohd Noor said the introduction of a new Sabah IC would help improve security in Sabah.

He also promised that an autonomous Gabungan Sabah-led state government would improve the economy, welfare, education and many other aspects of life for Sabahans, especially the Chinese.

“We recognise that businesses drive the economy and we will provide a nurturing environment for them,” he said, adding they will constantly get feedback from the business community on their problems and suggestions for improvement.

Gabungan includes Sabah STAR led by Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah led by Datuk Lajim Ukin, Sabah Progressive Party led by former chief minister Datuk Yong Teck Lee, and Parti Perpaduan Rakyat Sabah (PPRS) led by Mohd Arshad Abdul Maulap.

The four-party Gabungan is also known as United Sabah Alliance (USA).

Gabungan Sabah’s bid to regain rights to Sabah’s petroleum resources would also translate to substantially higher revenues for the state, said Mohd Noor.

“This means a Gabungan Sabah government would be able to kick off badly needed projects including a light rail transit for Kota Kinabalu,” said the former state minister.

Mohd Noor said having a Sabah- based government would allow Sabahans to decide how state revenues are to be used, without always having to refer to “Malaya”, the term used for the Federal Government.

He said Gabungan Sabah would also focus on education.

“We will provide as many as 500 scholarships every year, and this will benefit deserving students from lower income backgrounds.

“Sabah’s most valuable resource is our own people. Our youths should have access to education and skills training regardless of their background,” he added.