Issue new ICs to Sabahans — Upko Youth
KOTA KINABALU: United Pasokmomogum Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO) Youth has again called on the Federal Government to issue new Malaysian identity cards to Sabahans as a measure to weed out fake identification documents issued through dubious means.
Its chief, Arthur Sen, said the suggestion for Malaysian identity cards issued in Sabah be recalled and reissued after a strict vetting process had been made by former UPKO President Tan Sri Bernard Dompok and echoed by the current acting President Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Madius Tangau.
Arthur in a statement yesterday said that UPKO Youth welcomes Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s assurance that steps were being taken to detect holders of fake identification cards at all entry and exit points, particularly at airports.
“The Deputy Prime Minister’s statement is an admission that there are syndicates involved in issuing fake Malaysian identity documents. This was also stated in the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants in Sabah where the transient migrants had obtained the identification document,” he claimed.
UPKO, he pointed out, had conducted its own research on the fake IC syndicate and its findings had been sent to the RCI panel when it was in session.
The Deputy Prime Minister’s statement however had him thinking about those who are in possession of fake identity cards as the issue had been around for a long time.
“If the random scanning is to detect and prevent IS members from leaving Sabah, what about those who are in the state? This will surely expose Sabahans to domestic security threats by these terrorists,” he stressed.
“And what about their children and their children? We are already facing problems with stateless children in Sabah. What about the social issues that may arise when they grow up? How do we resolve all these problems,” he asked.
Because of these factors, UPKO Youth, he said, urges the government to take immediate action to resolve the matter as there may be many of these people now residing in Sabah.
“The problem cannot be resolved by just scanning the identity documents at the entry and exit points at the airports as we also have a marine border to consider,” he stressed.