NGO backs call for IC recall, reissuance
TENOM: The Sabah Mamagun organization, a non-governmental organization (NGO), has welcomed the call by deputy president of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Datuk Seri Dr. Maximus J. Ongkili, to the federal and state governments to speed up the revocation of identity cards issued illegally to foreigners, which it deemed as something very positive.
Mamagun president Rudy Sulaiman Mairi, said, such a move had been awaited for a very long time by the people of Sabah in efforts to resolve this issue which reportedly is part of efforts to flush out illegal immigrants (PATI) in the state.
“Mamagun fully support this move and called on the people of this state, especially the Mamaguns, to fully cooperate with the government to resolve this issue.
“The government must take positive affirmative action to resolve this issue quickly so that our country's sovereignty and security is assured besides protecting and defending the interests and rights of the genuine people of this state,” he told reporters here on Wednesday.
At the same time, Rudy said, there should be close cooperation among the various government machineries, particularly departments that are involved in the production of documents and identification cards, such as the National Registration Department (NRD), in order to give its full and undivided attention to this issue so that only the right and eligible Sabahans will benefit and that the identity cards do not fall into the hands of those who are not entitled to have it.
He believes syndicates processing false identity card are still rampant in the state based on the number of media reports in recent years, where some Filipinos have been arrested by the authorities while working in the Peninsular for possessing false identity cards claiming that they obtained it from syndicates in Sabah.
He said, efforts to revoke the identity cards and replace with new identity cards, especially for true citizens of Sabah as suggested by some leaders in this state is desirable and require urgent implementation.
Rudy was commenting on the call by Dr. Maximus to the federal and state governments to speed up the revocation of identity cards issued illegally to foreigners and issue new identity cards to the true people of Sabah.