KIMANIS: Sabah government should stop being “a good Samaritan" by hosting immigrants from the Philippines, former state chief minister Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee said.
Yong, who is also Sabah Progressive Party president, said the state had long ago exceeded its capacity to bear the costs of harbouring economic migrants.
The Parti Warisan Sabah-led government has been pushing for the issuance of Sabah Temporary Pass (PSS) for at least 136,055 holders of IMM13, Kad Burung Burung and Census Certificate starting June 1.
When it comes into effect, the immigrants would be able to go to schools, access to healthcare, banking services and marry legally in the state.
“There is no more civil conflict in the Southern Philippines. Now is already 2020. Peace and development have returned there.
“Both the MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) and the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) are firmly in the mainstream of the government in Muslim Mindanao,” he said in a statement, adding the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is now proving to be a success as the newly-elected governors and mayors are doing well.
BARMM with an annual budget of RM8 billion has stronger autonomy powers than Sabah in Malaysia.
It also has control over international trade in the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), land, resources and foreign investments.
Funds from Qatar and other countries are reported flowing into BARMM.
“In March this year, Kota Kinabalu will have direct flights to Zamboanga. Zamboanga now has thriving Eco Zone, more successful than our own KK Industrial Park and Palm Oil Industrial Cluster.
“Therefore, the Sabah government should instead focus on building up trade with the Southern Philippines instead of being obsessed with the PSS controversy.”