Illegal immigrant an emotional issue for Sabah people

The illegal immigrant issue, as contained in the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report, is a very emotional for Sabah people.

Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said they should be patient as it will take some time to resolve it.

"Many factors contribute to the illegal immigrant issue. The RCI report cited several reasons why illegal immigrants are abundant in Sabah," he told reporters after opening the Firefighting Research Centre and the ministry's Innovation Day and National Language Month here, Thursday.

The RCI report on the illegal immigrant issue in Sabah was announced on Dec 3 by Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa in Kota Kinabalu.

Contributing factors include historical as Sabah was once under the Sulu Sultanate while some in the Philippines felt Sabah was still their territory.

Abdul Rahman said the war and violence in southern Philippines was also another contributing factor.

"It gives Malaysia and Sabah a big problem as they will run to the closest mainland that is Sabah.

"The push factor such as lack of jobs due to the por economic and the pull factor in the form of jobs in Sabah contribute to the illegal immigrant issue.

In KOTA KINABALU, A Sabah state assemblyman said the arrest and deportation of illegal immigrants should be done aggressively and in an integrated manner.

Sekong state assemblyman Datuk Samsudin Yahya said focus should not be only on the Filipinos and Indonesians but all foreigners in Sabah.

"In recent years, many foreigners come to stay in Sabah. Some come legally but later used expired social visit passes to stay in our country," he said in a statement here.