In reply, this is verbatim from the Daily Express dated 17 April 2010:
The Immigration Department has issued IMM13 documents to refugees from the Philippines in Sabah, allowing them to stay in the country based on humanitarian grounds.
The Home Affairs Minister said the IMM13(B) is a special permanent pass issued to allow the foreign refugees to enter and stay in Malaysia on a yearly period.
Responding to a question by DAP Kota Kinabalu MP, Dr Hiew King Cheu, the Ministry said the Government would issue the MyKad(C) to eligible applicants who are qualified under the National Registration Act 1959 (Article 78) and the Constitution.I tried to get the Hansard from parliament to see and verify the actual question by Dr Hiew and actual reply from Datuk Hisamuddin Tun Hussein. However, they were not in the Hansard. Hence, I have to rely on The Daily Express’ report.
The Minister, which FreeMalaysiaToday referred to as someone with a silver-tongued, replied Dr Hiew’s query but he actually did not reply! How’s that?!
You see, he explained what IMM13 (refer to paragraph 4 where I have marked B) is, which we already know what it is. He explained that MyKad is only issued to persons who are eligible (refer to paragraph 5 where I have marked c). However, he has not answered Dr Hiew’s question. Either the Minister is one who listens but lack the skill of discerning or Dr Hiew do not know how to pose his questions, too open ended?
Dr Hiew said NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES when he said that 96,000 refugees are given MyKad (refer to paragraph 1 where I have marked A), that means these particular refugees include Indonesians and Filipinos and these refugees held IMM13 document. Alright, you say the Filipinos were granted IMM13 documents on humanitarian ground in view that they were fleeing from the Southern Philippines because of the ongoing fights there between the Philippine government and rebels, and what Humanitarian Grounds for the Indonesians again? Is there a war or fight going on in Indonesia that we not aware of?
Why didn’t he(the Minister) at least ask Dr Hiew for a copy of the list of 96,000 refugees so that he could get relevant department to verify it? Oh yah, fat chance he would do that since Dr Hiew is in the Opposition.
Can we trust our Sabahan leaders to solve this then? Oh, I guess their reply would be the problem is being controlled. Is it? You think so? Really? Either you think Sabahans still live on trees and have no eyes and brains or you are just trying to console yourself for your impotence to tackle these issues.
No! Sabahans will keep biting this bone till you address it because we are fighting for our survival and sovereignty.
At the very least, pity those Stateless street children. They are human beings too.
You might be interested:
Sabah’s refugee riddle hits a wall of suspicion
Malaysia: Undocumented Children in Sabah Vulnerable to Statelessness
