Set time frame: Pairin

Yes, set time frame for action promised. Walk the talk - WHEN? Then again, what if this is done half heartedly, what are you going to do? Since Sabah cannot solve this problem on its own what is Pairin going to do if there is no follow through?

Set time frame: Pairin
27 June, 2008

Kota Kinabalu: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) President Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said the announcement by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak that a major offensive will be conducted against illegal immigrants in Sabah was a relief to the people.

He said the long-standing problem had been burdening the people and brought many problems to the State.

The announcement, he said, directly answered the questions that had been posed by leaders in Sabah and the people.

Pairin, who is Deputy Chief Minister-cum-Rural Development Minister, said PBS hoped the plan would be implemented properly and comprehensively on the platform of political will in order to resolve the complicated problem in total.

"I hope several proposals will be taken into consideration by the Federal Government and relevant authorities to further bolster its decision and commitment to address the presence of illegals in Sabah," he said.

First, he said, the Government needs to set a time frame to resolve the problem so that consistent efforts could be taken to achieve zero illegal immigrants by a certain target year, like the target to achieve zero poverty by 2010 in the country, particularly Sabah.

It must be emphasised that in the effort to protect the country's sovereignty the involvement and co-operation from all must be obtained, he said, adding that with the setting up of such target everyone would know how to play their role.

He suggested that the Government set year 2011 as the deadline for the problem to be addressed altogether.

Pairin said efforts must be taken to ascertain the actual number of illegal immigrants in Sabah, hence registration and documentation exercises must be conducted simultaneously with the planned operations.

It is also the responsibility of employers especially in the plantation sector to provide feedback to the authorities on their foreign workers because it is worried that many of them are working without proper documents.

The move should also be applied to other sectors, he said.

At the same time, Pairin said the labour needs of Sabah in the various sectors must also be studied so that the implication of the exercise could be cushioned.

In this respect, Pairin said PBS believed the Government should take the approach of Amnesty System to enable employers take the necessary step to report to the authorities their workers including those undocumented.

However, the move should only apply to those who are working and not those in Sabah but not contributing to the State's economy. - Daily Express