KOTA KINABALU: Former chief minister Tan Sri Harris Mohd Salleh said it was inappropriate for Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman to call for a stop to the on-going exercise to provide 40,000 delayed birth certificates and MyKad to children in Senallang, Semporna.
“It is regretted that Datuk Anifah Aman, Malaysia’s Foreign Minister, saw it fit to make a statement saying that the exercise of late registration be stopped,” he said yesterday.
Harris said the decision to carry out late registration must have been made by the Cabinet and secondly, Anifah must respect the Minister of Home Affairs Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussien and State Minister Datuk Nasir Tun Sakaran.
He said surely both Hishammuddin and Nasir knew what they were doing.
“Datuk Anifah should at the forthcoming (Federal) Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, March 28, ask the Cabinet to make decision to stop the exercise,” Harris said in a statement.
According to him, civil servants both from the federal and state governments, had been doing very well and in carrying out their duties they observed the laws and policies of the government of the day. “Therefore, calling to stop the mobile late registration exercise at Semporna is tantamount to saying civil servants cannot be trusted.
“This is unfair indeed. Politicians or leaders cannot interfere with the work of civil servants. Once a law or policy is adopted, civil servants will carry out accordingly,” Harris pointed out.
He recounted that some five or six years ago he was informed by the director of National Registration Department that the exercise of mobile late registration was going on very well.
At that time, over 50,000 people in Tenom, Keningau and Pensiangan districts had registered and obtained late registration of birth certificates to enable them to obtain Malaysian identity cards.
However, Harris regretted that there was poor response from the east coast, especially Semporna where there were thousand and thousands of boat people who did not come forward for registration.
Based on newpapers’ reports, the federal cabinet had already approved the issuance of permanent residence to Indonesian and Filipino children born in Sabah and also permanent residence to holders of IMM13.
“These decisions remain in force unless and until they are revoked by the federal cabinet,” he added. In this regard, Harris reckoned that it was high time that the government be consistent and adhere to the laws and policies made. He said it was noticed that over the last few months there were many demands from Sabah leaders on this and many of those statements made were not in accordance with facts, laws, policies or more importantly fair and just.
“This attitude and trend of leaders will increase tension, especially among the races more so between the state and federal governments,” said Harris, citing the issue of natives in the State.
He said the issue of natives is provided in the interpretation of native law made by the British but it is unsure whether the law had been withdrawn or not.
“A law is a law. However, in the case of the native land rights, it was more of a moral issue or more importantly the right of natives to own land.
“Leaders must remember that the land is the future economy of the natives of Sabah, there is nothing else for them.
“The natives in Sabah are being left further and further behind; therefore it is high time to solve the land issue for the natives once and for all,” said Harris.
Harris also called on the government to be consistent and strictly adhere to the laws and policies that have been made and enforced in the country.
He noted that there were many cases reported to the police or statements in the newspapers saying criminal wrongdoings by certain people, but no action had been taken under the law.
“This is specially for making further police report which later the government authorities say the report is not true.
“Unfortunately, there is prosecution for making a false report which is very offensive,” he lamented.