What's Ulterior Motive to Compromise Sabah Security?

Kota Kinabalu:“If the Indonesian Kalimantan Utara Governor’s revelation is true, one wonders what is the ulterior motive of the federal government to continue to compromise Sabah security and will the Sabah government sit idle do nothing or take some action to protect Sabah security" said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, in a press statement released today.

Dr. Jeffrey, the Bingkor Assemblyman had noted that the Governor had disclosed that Malaysia had breached their agreement with the Indonesians and failed to man border crossings that separate Sabah from Kalimantan.  

As a result, there was rampant drug smuggling and criminal activities that spread throughout the archipelago due to the Malaysian government’s failure to man the border crossings since agreeing 15 years ago.

“What is the ulterior motive of the federal government in pouring money and personnel into Esscom and establish the Esszone on the West Coast of Sabah to stop the influx of Filipino immigrants when they leave border posts with Indonesia unmanned?”

Sabah’s land and sea border with Indonesia stretches from Tawau to the Sarawakian border, a distance of several hundred kilometres and with unmanned land borders, one can easily walk across the border into Sabah/Malaysia.

“Is it now the motive of the federal government to flood Sabah with Indonesians now that they have a problem with the Filipino Sulu people that was the flavour of Project IC in the 1990s? asked Dr. Jeffrey.

“I leave that question to be answered by Sabahans themselves” jibbed Dr. Jeffrey.

The Sabah Umno and BN leaders need to wake up to the reality that sooner or later foreigners, huge numbers being given ICs dubiously, will overrun Sabah.  Sabah natives not just the Kadazandusun but the Bajaus, Suluks, Iranun, Sungei, Ubian, Kedayan, Bruneian, Bisaya and others are outnumbered already in many areas.

The federal government can no longer be trusted to provide the security that was promised to Sabah to persuade Sabahans to agree to the formation of Malaysia.    

It was said that Sabah will contribute 60% of its revenue in return for the security to be provided by the federal government.  As it is now, the federal government takes 100% of Sabah’s revenues and 95% of its oil revenues, yet there is no real security provided.

Instead, the federal government has caused the insecurity problem in Sabah.   Starting with the dubious and often unlawful issuance of ICs to unqualified foreigners to the illegal transfer of population from from Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan and India, the military and monetary support of muslim insurgents, and now the failure to man border posts.

It seems that the Barisan Nasional government is trying to create the insecurity and put fear into the hearts and minds of Sabahans so that they can play the election card that only the BN government can provide security for Sabahans.   This way, they continue to vote for BN and keep them in power through this treasonous act of compromising Sabah’s security.

The monsters that threaten Sabah’s security in the long term are growing day by day.   The time-bombs planted by the federal government are ticking.

“What will the Umno BN Sabah government and their leaders do?   Your guess is as good as mine but their past inaction does not augur well for Sabah’s future.

If the current Sabah government cares for the safety and welfare of Sabahans, considerations should be given to setting up Sabah’s own Homeland Security together with its own Sabahan IC and non-Sabah passes and security personnel and border guards to complement the federal security apparatus.

At the national level, the federal government should assist in developing the local economies of neighbouring countries bordering Sabah which will encourage their nationals to stay in their home countries rather than venture into Sabah.   These measures will reduce the migration and also make Sabah safer and eventually there will be no necessity for ESSCOM.