KOTA KINABALU: Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili has appealed for Singapore to withdraw or review its decision to ban male natives from Sabah and Sarawak below 35 from working in the island republic.
Ongkili, who is also Parti Bersatu Sabah deputy president, said the new ruling imposed as an administrative punishment after alleged series of crime and fights involving natives from the two states was unfair as “it punishes everyone for the fault of a few”.
“I believe the crimes and fights involving natives from Sabah and Sarawak are isolated cases or small in number. There could be factors why the fights involved those from Sabah and Sarawak including being provoked by others.
“What we do know is that most of the problems faced by Sabah native workers working away from home arise from them undergoing pressure due to being cheated by agents, their undesirable working conditions and being under-paid,” he said in a statement, here, yesterday.
Ongkili said it was unfair to label all of them as troublemakers when most of them were good workers and law abiding.
As such, he urged the Singapore authorities to drop or review the policy decision. — Bernama