KOTA KINABALU: Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) blunder with its Buku Jingga Sabah in which it promised permanent residence for the illegal immigrants in Sabah is a proof that it is still ignorant and incompetent to run the country.
Chairman of United Borneo Front (UBF), Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, said in a statement yesterday that instead of inspiring Sabahans with its vision and mission, PKR president Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail created an uproar that has become another permanent blemish on PKR’s image for a long time to come.
“It’s a glaring proof that PKR is still very ignorant about what we Sabahans want, and the party is not fit to govern the country,” he said.
“How can PKR claim to improve on situation in Sabah and in the country when it is so ignorant of the laws?”
“PKR called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry on the illegal immigrants and yet at the same time offered to give them permanent residence,” Jeffrey said.
“This is a case of jumping the gun because such a decision should be made only after studying the recommendations from the RCI (Royal Commission of Inquiry) after a full inquiry, not before the inquiry even starts!”
Jeffrey is shocked that PKR is not even aware that such an offer will open the floodgates of new arrivals of illegals seeking such a privilege.
“Such an offer will create more problems rather than solve the issue. PKR says the offer of permanent residence is not a blanket offer, but even a single one given will create a precedent that will further make a mockery of the immigration laws in Malaysia. Definitely, this is not the solution.”
“The best solution is to enforce the laws and make a nationwide sweep of the illegals immediately and to deport them without compromise. The laws are there; it is just a matter of enforcing them,” he said.
“PKR also needs to make a distinction between enforcing the immigration laws and undertaking an inquiry to study the problem, including its causes, in depth and thus find effective and permanent solutions,” he added.