SORAK calls for government action to resolve illegal immigrants issue

KOTA KINABALU - Black Sunday 3.0, organized by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) Solidariti Rakyat (SORAK) was participated by about 300 supporters who came from various parts of Sabah gathered at the Gaya Street on rainy Sunday despite some earlier setbacks and obstacles.

Its organising chairman Paul Chong said he felt very proud of the enthusiasm and spirit shown by the participants and their determination to fight for a cause, the future generation of Sabah.

Black Sunday 3.0, which made three demands, calls on the Sabah RCI Technical Committee to speed up with firm, decisive and drastic actions following the RCI report last year.

It also demands absolute solution to cleanse Sabah of illegal immigrants so as to reinstate its status and the call for re-issuance of Sabah IC in accordance with the existing laws as soon as possible so as to protect the rights of genuine Sabahans.

Chong said that recently in early October 2015, five National Registration Department (NRD) senior officers who were among nine arrested by the MACC for involvement in the illegal issuance of MyKad documents is both worrying and of great concern to the security of the state.

Of late with the government's imposition of a RM1,000 fine for third replacement of MyKad shows the seriousness of the problem and which Chong believes all the more reason for the people to have Sabah IC as soon as possible to protect the safety, citizenship and rights as Sabahan.

"We also urge the Federal Government to give full powers to the Chairman of the RCI Technical Committee, Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, to resolve the illegal immigrants following the RCI findings.

"As we know, Tan Sri Pairin who is also a former Chief Minister of Sabah, and also now holds the position of Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah, should have no problem because he has enough experience in the issuance of proposed Sabah IC.

Meanwhile, participant Milin Biok Jr. representing another local NGO said in his statement that he strongly supported the demand for issuance of Sabah Identity Card (IC) to resolve the problem of rampant fake and dubious MyKads in the state.

He stressed that this problem has been going on since the 1980s but no action was taken even after the RCI report was out.

Milin cited a frightening incident where a police officer was shot on duty by illegal immigrants who were involved in drug trafficking. He added that such bold move by these illegals in using firearms is increasingly becoming a grave concern to the people of Sabah.

He therefore urged Sabah leaders to heed the voices and concerns of the people, "leaders who refuse to fight for Sabah should be kicked out in the next election," he added.