'Forces paid by foreigners to enter Sabah illegally' claim

Keningau: Thousands of foreigners from Indonesia and the Philippines are entering Sabah illegally by paying between RM350 and RM1,000 per person to the security forces at the border.
Sakag Sabah President Haji Masmin Kadad, who visited Nabawan/Kalabakan, alleged that he received complaints from the public that foreigners from Sebatik were sent by security personnel to Kalabakan after receiving RM350 to ensure their entrance into Sabah.

Similarly, he claimed this also happened in Tungku, Lahad Datu where foreigners without travel documents were sent to the interior, especially Keningau, by the security personnel after paying them RM1,000 each.
He did not say whether a police report was lodged.

He said the coastline and riverbank in Kalabakan had been turned into the landing point for contrabands like cigarettes from the neighbouring country and also for goods from Sabah to be smuggled out.

Haji Masmin also questioned the seemingly difficulty on the part of the authorities to halt illegal logging activities here.

However, during the recent visit by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to Maliau Basin, he said the logging activities were "temporarily suspended" and shortly after Najib returned many of the timber lorries started to re-emerge.