ICs need to be recalled, re-issued – Upko by Murib Morpi. Posted on June 19, 2013, Wednesday KOTA KINABALU: The Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Illegal Immigrants in Sabah wants United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) to come up with a detailed mechanism for implementing its proposal to recall all identification cards and to re-issue such documents in Sabah. Chairman Tan Sri Steve Shim Lip Keong said the commission would want to look at the party’s proposal on clearly lined up procedures for the exercise before it can make any consideration or recommendation. “You have made a general proposal on the recall of ICs exercise and it would be interesting if you can come up with a detailed mechanism in regards to this exercise. “It is very important for us to consider, otherwise we would not know what exactly you are proposing and how to implement it,” he said to the party’s secretary-general, Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau. The Tuaran Member of Parliament appeared before the commission as a witness yesterday, to share his knowledge as a former senior researcher for the Institute for Development Studies (IDS) Sabah, as well as his views and concerns as a politician regarding the illegal immigrants issue in Sabah. Tangau, who served the IDS back in the 80s and 90s where he was directly involved in some studies on illegal immigrants, earlier reiterated UPKO’s stance that there is a need to reassess the whole system in issuing identity cards. He said there were unanswered questions on the integrity of the whole system, the National Registration Department and the government as a whole on the alleged issuance of citizenship to illegal or unqualified immigrants. He stressed that the whole system has to be reset and the government must come up with something that the people can trust, otherwise the question of integrity will always be in the mind of the people of Sabah. The only way to do this, he said, is by recalling all the identification cards given in Sabah and reissuing them only to actual citizens. “We need to recall all the ICs, and have everyone reapplied, to screen the dubious ones. There could be millions out there. We don’t know. “I believe this is something that can be done because recalling ICs is not new. In fact, we have changed our ICs two to three times. This is about IC holders proving themselves to be actual citizens, otherwise how do we put to rest the question such as the sudden increase in population. “There is an issue of integrity of the National Registration Department (procedures) and solving it should be through integrity also. We need to reset the whole thing, go back to ground zero. The government needs to re-issue ICs and genuine citizens would have nothing to be afraid of,” he said. Tangau, in his testimony, noted that he has on many occasions made a general speech in Parliament, questioning the sudden increase of population in Sabah which started in the 80s. However, the ministers concerned have not yet given him a satisfactory reply. Among the explanations given to his question were that the people of Sabah are very fertile and the rural communities are gaining access to health facilities. He also noted the statistics of the sharp population increase in Sabah saw the State overtaking Sarawak was from proper census carried out by department concerned. Read more: theborneopost/2013/06/19/ics-need-to-be-recalled-re-issued-upko/#ixzz2WdKED0KX
Posted on: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:30:51 +0000
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