The former chief minister pleaded with the House to take his proposal of a Sabah IC seriously in his debate during the state assembly sitting today, saying that the MyKad issuance process for Sabahans was severely compromised. – Picture by Firdaus Latif
KOTA KINABALU, March 22 — Sabah must introduce its own state identity card if it is serious about protecting the interests of Sabahans vis-a-vis foreigners who have obtained Malaysian citizenship through dubious means, said nominated assemblyman Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee.
The former chief minister pleaded with the House to take his proposal of a Sabah IC seriously in his debate during the state assembly sitting today, saying that the MyKad issuance process for Sabahans was severely compromised.
“It is clear that there are many people, not originally from here, who are in possession of the card, which has the code ’12’ indicating that they are from here, but were actually not even born in Malaysia, yet they continue to benefit from this.
“A Sabah IC will just be for Sabahans, those who are bona fide Sabahans, and it will act like a residency card so those who have it can apply for business licences, credit loans, and other things. It will serve as a form of identification above that of a MyKad here,” he said.
He explained that the MyKad was a federal-initiated process, while the Sabah IC would be a state initiative according privileges to state businesses like trading licences, land applications and free entry into the state without the need for a work permit.
The Sabah Progressive Party president said that it would prove beneficial as people have been complaining about the system being abused, and foreigners who have obtained citizenship and MyKads illegally ahead of Sabahans.
Fielding several questions about the viability of the process and its benefits, Yong also admitted there was a possibility it could be abused if the process was not airtight.
“I would be worried too. The Sijil Anak Negeri issued by the state was also abused by our own people before, so this process must be transparent. There must be a committee made up of members from the government and Opposition to draw up the rules and conditions,” he said.
In pleading his case, he said that MyKads that were issued by the National Registration Department to dubious individuals were now unlikely to be disputed but the state could still “prevent” them from being considered as “genuine Sabahans.”
“I hope the Sabah Cabinet will seriously consider it. Don’t just dismiss it outright,” he said, expressing disappointment that the state assembly had rejected his special motion to discuss Sabah IC at the assembly.