Non-Departing Foreigners Given ICs

Kota Kinabalu:    “Reading between the lines, the RCI Report infers that the 229,484 non-departing Indonesians between 1996 and 2000 were given ICs dubiously along with 11,741 Filipinos.   Although there were no figures given for Pakistanis, Indians and other nationalities, it would not be surprising if these non-departing foreigners were also issued ICs dubiously” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, commenting on the missing Indonesians and Filipinos that came into Sabah officially but with no records of their departure.            

The RCI reported that between 1996 and 2000, there were 457,850 Indonesian arrivals but only 228,366 departed leaving 229,484 staying back.  For Filipinos, there were 210,910 arrivals but only 199,169 departed leaving 11,741 unaccounted for.

There are very convincing circumstantial evidence to corroborate and support the “finding” that ICs were issued to most, if not all, of these overstaying Indonesians and Filipinos. 

From the national census, from 1970 to 2010, there was a 302% in Sabah’s population from 684,693 to 2,603,485, an increase of 1,918,792.  In Sarawak, the increase in population was only 106% from 976,269 to 2,012,616, an increase of 1,036,347.  

If the rate of increase was the same as Sarawak, Sabah’s population would only be increased by 725,775 to 1,410,468.    Where did the extra 1,193,017 Sabahan population came from, if not from “Project IC” including those Indonesians and Filipinos that overstayed their visit?

In the same census, it was noted that there was a 162% increase in the Kadazandusun and Murut population while that of the Bajau, Brunei, Suluk and Iranun increased by 344%, probably due to Filipinos of Bajau and Suluk descent. 

More astonishing was the 1,552% increase in the Malay population from 18,362 in 1970 to 303,500 in 2000, a phenomenal increase of 285,138.   This number resonates with the 229,484 non-departing Indonesians who are mainly Bugis and being muslims would be classified as Malays.

On the ground and all over Sabah, there has been an overwhelming influx of Indonesian Bugis population.  They are now not only as plantation or construction workers but are muscling in on “Tamu” grounds taking over the places of locals, taking over native lands and farmlands and even controlling the transportation, taxi and bus sectors.

“Ask any local Sabahan and they will be able to confirm the “Indonesian Bugis invasion” but holding ICs” said Dr. Jeffrey.

The influx of Pakistanis and Indian muslims are no less menacing to the local population.  Any patriotic Sabah will be able to tell that they are seizing the opportunities of locals particularly in retail and food and other businesses in the rural heartlands.

Fast forward to 2014 and the monster created and unleased by the illegal issuance of ICs is even more devastating to the local communities who are now minorities in their own homeland.   Added to this dubiously given IC holders are another 889,799 foreigners according to the 2010 census of which about 300,000 which are classified as “inland foreigners” by the NRD who are in Sabah on the basis of various types of documentation or passes.

The births from these foreigners now outnumber births of locals including those given dubious ICs and a whole generation of foreigners will soon be available to be exploited by Umno/BN as their “additional fixed deposit voters” in coming elections.  Along with them will be a host of social and other problems as highlighted in the RCI Report.

There is not much hope that the federal and Umno-controlled Sabah government will do anything to resolve the problems.

Now that there is a golden opportunity, will civil society and true Malaysians in particular patriotic Sabahans rise to pressure the federal and Sabah government to resolve the illegal issued ICs and illegal voters as highlighted in the RCI Report?