KUALA LUMPUR: The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) is insisting that the government establish a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to find out why Sabah’s population has increased by nearly 400% in 40 years.
The party’s deputy president, Eric Majimbun, renewed the call after Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia rejected his motion to discuss the issue. It was rejected in chambers, he told reporters.
SAPP, like many other groups, suspects that the Barisan Nasional (BN) government has been covertly giving Malaysian citizenship to illegal immigrants in exchange for their votes.
Majimbun said Pandikar Amin’s reason for rejecting his motion was that the government was already addressing the issue of illegal immigration.
“Of course they are, but the problem persists and the action is taking too long,” he said.
Quoting from a census report, he said the Sabah population had ballooned by 390 % in 40 years.
“For West Malaysia there was an increase of 165%, for Sarawak it was 148%,” he added.
“An RCI has to be established to find out how and why.”
Majimbun called for a “total approach” to resolve the issue of illegal immigration, noting that several official efforts had failed.
Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein announced last week that the government would embark on another amnesty programme for illegal immigrants. Under the scheme, to be rolled out next month, up to two million illegal immigrants will be allowed to work and live freely in Malaysia.
By Tarani Palani
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