ILLEGALS A NON-ISSUE ?

Illegals non-issue to KL due to PBS support: SAPP

Kota Kinabalu: SAPP Youth chief, Edward Dagul has accused PBS of cavorting with Umno over the illegal immigrant issue, saying this has further diminished the rights of Sabahans.

"Barisan Nasional (BN) has ignored the issue because they are having the support of PBS it is this, i.e. PBS' collusion with Umno, that has further eroded Sabah's rights and autonomy," he said, in a statement here, Thursday.

"SAPP Youth warns PBS not to think the public is ignorant or gullible so as to believe the BN political mind games. Despite the bravado statement by PBS Secretary General, Henrynus Amin, the fact remains that BN is perceived by the public to still have huge vested interest in the continued illegal immigrant presence in the State."

He said it clearly showed that the Federal Government did not care about Sabah's long standing problem when Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Idris Jala disclosed it was not one of the country's top six priorities.

"It clearly supported our worries all this time that the often described 'mother of all threats' issue in Sabah is actually a non-issue to Putrajaya," Dagul said.

"The illegal immigrant problem is a security issue and this should be treated as such. When we as Malaysians talk of security breach, which may lead to the eventual erosion of our sovereignty, this issue should be given top priority irrespective of the fact that the security breach occurred in Sabah or anywhere else in Malaysia.

"As pointed out by Henrynus Amin, (PBS President) Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan had been vocal on the call for the BN government to resolve the issue by 2012. This was a well known fact to all especially the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who officiated at the 2009 PBS Annual Congress.

"Who would believe that even PBS' and Upko's top leaders as senior Ministers in the Federal Cabinet could not get the Prime Minister's attention on this illegal immigrant issue which is a threat to national sovereignty? Have these leaders compromised State interests for their own benefits?"

Towards this end, Dagul said the special laboratory on illegal immigrants set up in Sabah was an after-thought.

"This was done to appease the growing frustration and public discontent in Sabah. By the time the results of the special NKRA laboratory is known, the next 13th General Elections will be over.

"And BN parties like PBS and Upko (would) still (be) dancing to the tune of the master as if this problem can be solved just by a few statements calling for BN action they have conveniently forgotten that they are part of the BN government."

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PBS and Upko are putting up a show: Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu: Dissatisfied Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Upko leaders should stop putting up a show by criticising the Barisan Nasional and Federal Cabinet leadership, only to say they are the best come election time, said PKR Vice President Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.

"You have given this Umno-led BN more than enough time and chances to resolve various problems but they still refuse to hear you.

Why do you still condone Umno leading BN component parties by the nose?

"What is the point of PBS and Upko criticising incessantly but come election time they would still tell the people that Umno and BN are the best thing in the world? Enough is enough," he said.

Jeffrey's comments followed remarks by PBS and Upko leaders that BN's Kuala Lumpur leaders are ignoring the voices of Sabahans.

Jeffrey said Sabahans want change and called on members and supporters of PBS and Upko as well as LDP and Sabah Umno to abandon selfish leaders who view their own positions more important than the wishes and voices of the ordinary Sabahans.

"If leaders of PBS, Upko, LDP and even Sabah Umno want to be together forever, let them be, but their members and supporters must reassess their own position, whether they still want these leaders, some of whom have been ministers and YBs for decades or whether they want a fresh leadership with ideas," he said.

He said PBS and Upko leaders missed the opportunity to correct things by refusing to use the window of opportunity last year.