Madius: P’pines willing to accept these Filipinos

TUARAN: The Sabah State Cabinet has been informed by the Malaysian National Security Council that the Philippines will accept those without documents in Sabah on condition they can prove they are Filipinos.

Tuaran Member of Parliament and Deputy Chief Minister cum Trade and Industry Minister, Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau, who disclosed this, said the stand of the new government is that whatever is done to resolve the problem will ultimately lead to all of them possessing a Philippine passport.

This is because they are citizens of the Philippines and must possess a Philippine document like passport.

“That is our halatuju (way forward). If they want to work in Sabah later they can apply for a work permit, which is also our halatuju. Because they (Filipino refugees) have been here for so long we now must get an absolute solution to it.

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“And the absolute solution is that they be accepted back in the Philippines.” He said the people need to understand that Sabah has a problem, i.e. that the Filipino refugees have been here the past 40 years and finally “we have to resolve this problem and the new Government is committed to resolving it.”

Tangau, who is also United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun and Murut Organisation (Upko), said this when met at his Christmas Open House held at the multipurpose hall in Tenghilan, Sunday.

He was commenting on former Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Mohd Salleh who said Sabahans should be thankful to him (Tangau) for supporting and agreeing to legalise everyone in Sabah under the proposed Sabah Temporary Pass (PSS) exercise.

Thanking Harris, he said Harris is entitled to his own view on the matter.

Harris had said that by law those holding the IMM13, Kad Burung-Burung and Census Certificate who have been living in Sabah the last 20 years are eligible for citizenship.

Harris claimed this is the requirement of the Federal Constitution and United Nations, adding the motive and intentions of opposition leaders could not be understood as it appeared they wanted to maintain cheap labour and slavery.

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Harris was referring to opposition leaders who – including Umno, PBS and SAPP – that are opposed to the Federal and State Governments’ decision to issue the PSS on June 1 to amalgamate all the various documents given to workers and refugees over the last 30 years as well as to those undocumented or illegally staying and working in Sabah.

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