Controversial PSS cancelled — Shafie

KOTA KINABALU: The state government has decided to cancel its plan to implement the Sabah Temporary Pass more popularly known as PSS (Pas Sementara Sabah).

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Shafie Haji Apdal said that the decision was made during the cabinet meeting yesterday.

He said that they came to the decision a er studying the outcome of the Kimanis byelection. However, the decision was also made due to the voice of the people who said that they do not want this.

“And we listen,” he said. Shafie added that the Sabah Government will be writing a le er to the Home Ministry to cancel the PSS which was supposed to start in June, this year.

The Chief Minister also said that he had already communicated the decision of the cabinet meeting to the Home Ministry.

“It is a decision that a single person cannot make. We have to discuss the issue at the cabinet because the people have spoken. The result at Kimanis is a sign and the voice of the people cannot be viewed lightly,” he said.

When asked what are among the reasons the people were against the issuance of PSS, Shafie said that it was based on misconstrued understanding that the issuance of the PSS is similar to the issuance of the identification card, which is totally wrong.

“Now it is up to the Home Ministry to decide … the ministry is the rightful ministry to do this,” he said.

Shafie said this during a press conference at the Sabah Government Administrative Building (PPNS) following the signing ceremony of collaboration between the Human Resource Development Department and Universiti Kuala Lumpur, as well as the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the same department with Petra Energy Berhad.

He also told press members that Warisan Sabah accepts the decision of the people in Kimanis but assured that it will continue to render its services to the parliament constituency of Kimanis despite the loss in the recent by-election on Jan 18.

Warisan Sabah’s candidate, Datuk Karim Bujang lost to Datuk Mohamad Alamin of Barisan Nasional who won by a majority of 2,029 votes.

“We say it here that we will continue to render our service to the people of Kimanis and throughout Sabah irrespective of race and creed,” he said.

Those present during the press conference were Deputy

Chief Ministers Datuk Christina Liew, Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau and Datuk Jaujan Sambakong, as well as Education and Innovation Minister Datuk Yusof Yacob, Rural Development Minister Datuk Ewon Benedict, Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Peter Anthony and Health and People’s Wellbeing Minister Datuk Frankie Poon.