Isnin, April 18, 2011

RAMOS SUGGESTS ALTERNATIVE IF CONSULATE TAKES TIME

Ramos suggests alternative if Consulate takes time

April 17, 2011 Kota Kinabalu: Former Philippines President Fidel Ramos said the setting up of an Economic and Cultural Office might be an alternative to the long awaited Filipino Consulate office here.

Ramos said this might be the best solution in helping to solve the problems faced by the State Government regarding the sizeable Filipino presence in Sabah, especially illegal immigrants, apart from attending to the needs of the community.

He was speaking to Daily Express Chief Reporter Kassim Sangi and Chief Editor James Sarda in an exclusive interview.

"Maybe we can do it the way we do it with Taiwan. It's an Economic and Cultural Office. No political, no security or defenceÉbecause cultural covers social, immigration and everything.

"Taiwan does the same thing with us and with other countries in the Pacific. They are called Teco (Taiwan Economic Cultural Office) in Palau, Fiji and Vanuatu because of the One China policy (due to China's emphasis that only it and not Taiwan represents the real China).

"I think it can also apply in Sabah because the presence (Filipinos in large numbers) is there and the expectation is in place," he said.

Ramos said he realised that hundreds of thousands of Filipinos are residing in Sabah, including the illegals.

"A book by the former Asean Secretary-General Rod Severino said it's time there should be a consulate to take care of their needs and defend their interests in Sabah.

"But the Department of Foreign Affairs precisely has said that would be relinquishing the Sabah claim because you should not put a consulate in your own territory. I think the answer is somewhere in between," he said.

To a question on whether his government was aware that the Filipinos in Sabah have nowhere to turn to for help, Ramos said he knew about it, especially in Sandakan where he had a dialogue with them.

"I can recommend this suggestion to Mr Aquino (President)," he said, when asked if he would use his good office to ask the Government to at least set up a permanent office to deal with the problems faced by Filipinos here.

Towards this end, he said during his tenure he came up with the idea of the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philipines-East Asian Growth Area or BIMP-EAGA.

"So that we will have more representation here but private sector.

Not official," he said.

On the Sabah Claim, he said "eventually we are looking for a constitutional solution so that there is a statement in our Constitution that would say so.

"But during the Sabah claim in the 1960s during President MacapagalÉ claimed that the possession and, therefore, the sovereignty over Sabah is by way of the action of the old Sultan of Brunei ceding islands or parts of islands or territories to the sultanate in compensation for some military or moral support he got from Sulu.

"Of course Sabah was in the middle. There were not enough people here who objected to say, 'hey, we are not involved'. They could have said that but it was a long time ago, 1870 I think it was," he said.

"My solution was, in the meantime, let's do this economic cluster called BIMP-EAGA. Put the theoretical and legal problem in the back-burner and take advantage of the China market and agro-industrial and available opportunities," he said.

On the many claimants of the Sulu Sultanate, especially the recent one, Mohd Akjan Ali Mohamad, he believed that with due respect he believed the claimant was a printer.

"Maybe he has a printing press because he has all sorts of beautiful documents, including printed on old parchments like 150 years ago.

"Very impressive logo and nice pictures of him. Like some TV advertisements, but with due respect to him," he said.

On the BIMP-EAGA's success as far as the Philippines is concerned, he said that during his time, at least 50 Malaysians were providing capital in Iligan (Mindanao) such as in steel rolling mills.

"Maybank is still there. And all the way to Manila, they have built expressways.

Maybe the most visible will be in aviation," he said.

Ramos also talked about his relationship with the Marcoses.

33 ulasan:

  1. Harap kerajaan Filipin akan setuju menubuhkan consulate Filipin di Sabah.

    BalasPadam
  2. Ini adalah untuk kebaikan kedua-dua negara kita.

    BalasPadam
  3. susah juga kerajaan Sabah mahu selesaikan masalah2 warga filipin di negeri ini kalau kerajaan filipin tidak mahu berkerjasama.

    BalasPadam
  4. kerjasama daripada kerajaan Filipina penting bagi menyelesaikan masalah berkaitan dengan warga mereka yang berada di negara kita.

    BalasPadam
  5. harap mereka akan memberikan komitmen terhadap pekara ini demi kebaikan kedua-dua pihak.

    BalasPadam
  6. Harap2 kerajaan Filipin mahu bekerjasama dalam hal ni.

    BalasPadam
  7. Adakah keadaan akan bertambah baik jika consulate Philippine di wujudkan di Sabah?

    BalasPadam
  8. Tapi tidak salah jika kita mencuba, jika keadaan bertambah baik, kita teruskan tapi jika keadaan sebaliknya, kita batalkan sahaja consulate itu.

    BalasPadam
  9. semoga kerajaan Filipin segera menubuhkan consulate mereka di Sabah supaya segala masalah yang berkaitan warga Filipin dapat dikendalikan dengan baik .

    BalasPadam
  10. Ramos should bring his suggestion to the government in his country because its actually the Philippines who are reluctance to open their consulate office here in Sabah because it will signifies their stands over Sabah (theiy recognized Sabah status as one of the state in Malaysia Federation)...

    We in Sabah always welcomes the Philippines to open their consulate ofice here in Sabah...

    BalasPadam
  11. I think it worth the shot for the government to implement Ramos suggestion.

    BalasPadam
  12. Consultan ini untuk menangani mengatasi masalah rakyat filipina di negara jiran.

    BalasPadam
  13. Hopefully the Philippine government will agree to this suggestion.

    BalasPadam
  14. The consulate should have been established long time ago.

    BalasPadam
  15. Harap2 si Ramos ni serius dalam cadangan itu.

    BalasPadam
  16. Biarlah mereka memikirkan candangan tersebut. Tapi ini demi kebaikan rakyat mereka sendiri. Kita tunggu keputusan dari pihak Negara Filipin.

    BalasPadam
  17. Cadangan ini bagi bertujuan menjalinkan perhubungan antara dua pihak dan pada masa yang sama dapat menangani masalah yang dihadapi oleh rakyat sebelah pihak.

    BalasPadam
  18. Indinesia teleh tubuhkan consulate di Sabah, kerajaan Filipina jug harus berbuat demikian untuk menguruskan rakyatnya di Sabah.

    BalasPadam
  19. I hope there will be an alternative.

    BalasPadam
  20. sebaiknya consulate filipina perlu ditubuhkan bagi menjalinkan hubungan baik dan kerjasama dalam menyelesaikan masalah warga filipina di Sabah.

    BalasPadam
  21. cadangan tersebut harus dipertimbangkan oleh kerajaan filipina untuk kebaikkan kedua-dua negara.

    BalasPadam
  22. dengan adanya Economic and Cultural Office filipina di sabah sekurang-kurangnya akan membolehkan rakyat filipina di sabah dipantau oleh pihak berkuasa filipina dengan tindakan yang perlu dapat dilakukan segera.

    BalasPadam
  23. cadangan daripada mantan presiden filipina ini harus dipertimbangkan oleh kerajaan filipina..ianya merupakan antara alternatif yang boleh dilakukan untuk meringankan masalah yang dihadapi oleh kerajaan negeri sabah berhubung dengan kemasukkan rakyat filipina di sabah secara haram.

    BalasPadam
  24. diharap kerajaan filipina akan bersetuju dengan cadangan ini yang mana memberikan kebaikan kepada kedua pihak.

    BalasPadam
  25. kerajaan negeri sabah pasti mengalu-alukan sebarang kerjasama dari pihak kerajaan filipina bagi membantu menyelesaikan kemasukkan rakyat filipina di negeri ini.

    BalasPadam
  26. cadangan yang baik namun persoalannya adakah kerajaan filipina akan bersetuju?

    BalasPadam
  27. apa pula respon dari kerajaan filipina dan malaysia? kita tunggu dan lihat..

    BalasPadam
  28. A Philippine consulate is needed for the sake of their people here. Hope that their government will cooperate with Sabah government.

    BalasPadam
  29. Konsulat Filipin memang amat diperlukan.

    BalasPadam
  30. Alternatives are needed.

    BalasPadam
  31. Perbincangan lanjut harus ada.

    BalasPadam
  32. semoga apa yang diperkatakan oleh Ramos akan segera dilaksanakan.

    BalasPadam