Number of illegal migrant births keep on rising
Published on: Tuesday, December 16, 2014
KOTA KINABALU: In determining the social implications of the large illegal immigrant presence and their possessing documents as part of the terms of reference of the enquiry, the Commission decided to view various aspects.As per Health Expenditure and Diseases, Principal Assistant Director of Health (Infectious Disease Control), in Sabah Medical Services Department, Dr Maria Sulaiman said the total number of births from immigrants is increasing.She said from 2007 to 2012, the Government had to incur costs of treatment for immigrants amounting to RM21.67 million and this remains unpaid at the time the report went to print.ADVERTISEMENT Attempts to recover this amount failed due to their inability to trace the patients concerned. Dr Maria also says infectious disease cases involving immigrants are on the rise resulting in more expenditure by the Health Department as well as the provision for more funds to accommodate the increase in logistics including medical officers and staff.As for taxes, the Government suffered losses in revenue due to rampant smuggling activities committed by illegal immigrants.According to Mohd Fadzly bin Abdullah, the Senior Assistant Director, Customs Department, Sabah, the most prevalent smuggling activities involved sales of smuggled cigarettes, alcoholic drinks, fireworks, tyres, drugs and syabu, etc.ADVERTISEMENT Then there was Commissioner of Police Dato Pahlawan Hamza bin Taib who said illegal immigrants in Sabah were responsible for 25pc to 30pc of criminal activities in the State while 70pc to 75pc of such activities are committed by Malaysian citizens.However, there was no indication as to whether the 70pc to 75pc included immigrants who has obtained Malaysian ICs without going through due process.
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"We would assume that they were included," the report said.It also noted the evidence of ex-Chief Minister Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat, that in certain deportation operations or exercises conducted on squatter settlements, the authorities found firearms."This should be a matter of grave security concern when we are reminded of the recent intrusion in Lahad Datu," the report said.Evidence was also adduced the Prison Department incurred the following expenditures from 2006 to 2012, namely RM281,455,515.00 (Kota Kinabalu Male Prison); RM45,867,360.00 (Kota Kinabalu Female Prison); RM112,873,693.00 (Sandakan Prison); RM163,884,270.00 (Tawau Prison). Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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Thus, the total amount of expenditure incurred for non-citizens was RM604,080.840 over 6 years.Kalbin bin Hj. Mohd. Said, the Deputy Superintendent of Prison, Sabah, said because Sabah prisons are quite congested, there are difficulties carrying out rehabilitation programmes for non-citizens.