Enforcement agencies blamed for PTIs roaming Sabah
Published on: Friday, October 19, 2018
Kuala Lumpur: The miserable success by enforcement agencies in Sabah in arresting, charging and deporting illegal immigrants (PTIs) has been blamed for their large presence in the State.According to Home Ministry statistics, 36,808 were arrested by Sabah Immigration between 2015 to Oct. 4, this year, for various offences."The annual figures of arrested PTIs for the last four years are as follows: 19,055 (2015), 8,193 (2016), 5,091 (2017) and as of Oct. 4, this year, 3,738 illegal immigrants were put behind bars.ADVERTISEMENT "Considering that the number of PTIs in Sabah is estimated by the public to be at least one million, the Immigration Department's achievement is indeed mediocre. What is 30,000 arrested within the last three years? It is a far cry from the alleged number … where are the rest?"These figures reflected a hopelessly miserable achievement by our enforcements, despite given huge financial and manpower resources allocated to agencies such as Esscom (Eastern Sabah Security Command), MMEA (Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency), National Security Council, Malaysia Civil Defence Department and police, to mention some, to rid Sabah of illegal immigrants," said Kota Marudu Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili (pic).In responding to a written answer from the Home Ministry to his question in Parliament on Wednesday, Ongkili stressed it was no wonder that illegal immigrants are roaming everywhere in Sabah, including in the interior."They are even seen in large numbers in roadshows by Parti Warisan in Sandakan, Keningau and other districts. They even bravely stormed the National Registration Office's headquarters in Kota Kinabalu recently," said Ongkili.ADVERTISEMENT He stressed that the best solution is for enforcement agencies, especially the police and MMEA, to be stationed to verify documents at all entrance points to the town halls where Parti Warisan holds so-called registration services."Many of them took the advantage to get registered. Hundreds, if not thousands, could have been arrested immediately," Ongkili stressed.
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He called on Parti Harapan and Parti Warisan to be serious in protecting and saving Sabah from foreign intrusion and domination.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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"This is our land. (And) It is our duty to protect our land, for the good of our children and their children," he said.Photo Source: Bernama