‘Review ties with Pairin and gang’

KOTA KINABALU: It is imperative that Sabahans re-evaluate their relationship with the state Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition partners which have betrayed them.

Citing Joseph Pairin Kitingan-led Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and its splinter groups –Upko (United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation) and PBRS (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah) – state DAP said these ruling partners were no longer the “peoples’ parties”.

“PBS, Upko and PBRS are no longer the peoples’ parties. They have now evolved into props for Umno and BN, ” Sabah DAP secretary Dr Edwin Bosi said.
While welcoming the concern expressed by a BN state representative over the increase in the population of foreigners in the state, Bosi warned that by supporting Umno through these parties, the non-Muslim natives would slowly lose their identity.

“These leaders (from PBS, Upko and PBRS) will not dare to offend Umno nor will they dare to demand equal rights as natives of this land.

“They are herding their supporters to the museum and archives. This is where the non-Muslim natives of Sabah will have a place in history,” he said.

Bosi was commenting on the National Statistics Department’s figures that showed that the population of Sabah as of 2010 was 3.1 million.

Abrupt surge

Elopura assemblyman Au Kam Wah recently quoted these statistics when expressing concern over the increase in the population of foreigners in the state.

Of the 3.1 million, only 1.7 million are Malaysian citizens born in Sabah while the rest (1.4 million) were foreigners born in Sabah, and foreigners issued with passes to stay in the state and Malaysians from other states.

In 1963, there were just over half a million people living in Sabah, a figure below that of neighbouring Sarawak at that time.

However, starting from the 1970s and through into the 1990s, Sabah experienced an extraordinary population explosion registering a growth rate of more than 5% compared with the national average of 2.6%.

The abrupt surge in population was attributed to the systematic legalisation of illegal immigrants with the underlying aim of tilting the balance of power in favour of the Muslim community after it was observed that the combined power of the non-Muslim natives and Chinese led to the downfall of Usno and Berjaya governments.

The state government has not responded to the questions raised by Au, especially on the status of the 641,058 non-Malaysians born in Sabah who are children of Sabahans married to foreigners whose marriages are not registered.