Illegals exploiting ‘Menumbok and Jesselton Point loophole’, claims MP

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KOTA KINABALU: Foreigners are exploiting the “Menumbok and Jesselton Point Loophole” to enter and leave Sabah as there is no immigration checkpoint at the two points of entry, according to Penampang member of parliament Darell Leiking.

He said that one of the five Pakistani citizens charged with having fake travel passes in the court here recently had told the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, Tan Sri Richard Malanjun, during the proceeding that he intended to get out from Sabah via Menumbok-Labuan route.

“This clearly shows that Menumbok is being exploited by foreigners to enter or leave Sabah since there is no immigration checkpoint at that place,” he said and questioned how many foreigners are there in possession of fake travel documents or passports who managed to slip into Sabah via the Menumbok and Jesselton Point Loophole.

“If it is due to local human trafficking syndicate as stated by the Deputy Home Minister, Datu Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, then over the period of several years, the Menumbok and Jesselton Point Loophole may have allowed tens of thousands of foreigners with fake travel document or passport or worst, without any travel document at all to enter Sabah.

“Perhaps Menumbok and Jesselton Point Loophole is the reason why the Chief Justice of Sabah together with hundreds thousands of the ordinary Sabahans are perplexed with the sudden surge of Pakistani citizens in the State,” he said.

Darell added that in his parliamentary question addressed to the Home Minister in 2013, he had asked why there were no immigration checkpoints at Menumbok and Jesselton Point jetty so as to ensure that only those with valid travel documents or passports traveling by ferry from Labuan would be allowed to land and pass the guard post/customs checks before proceeding to other districts in Sabah.

The Home Minister in his reply confirmed that there was no necessity for immigration inspection as the Home Minister’s directive gazetted on 26 July 1984 and the Malaysian Immigration Circular dated 27 July 1984 provides for the automatic exemption to anyone (including foreigners) from having to produce his/her valid travel documents or passport when entering Sabah from Labuan.

Consequent to these directive and circular, travelers from Peninsular (irrespective of whether they are Malaysian citizens or not) will only need to take a flight from any airport in the Peninsular, land at Labuan Airport, board the ferry to Menumbok or Jesselton Point and thereafter, proceed to other parts of Sabah freely without producing any valid travel documents or passport at any immigration checkpoint.

In fact, any domestic destination except Sabah and Sarawak requires no production of identity cards but of course, for entrants coming from Labuan to Menumbok or Jesselton Point Jetty pursuant to the directive and circular issued in 1984 will need not produce any documents.

“Obviously contradicts the immigration sovereignty currently practised by us when non-Sabahan or Malaysian air travelers will have to produce their passports at the airport immigration checkpoints all over Sabah before being allowed to enter the State. Hence the paradox is anyone coming by air travel from Labuan will still register their entry if they enter Sabah at the airports but not if they entered through Menumbok or Jesselton Point jetties. How does one comprehend that?” he said.

Darell said our founding forefathers knew it beforehand that Sabah must have its full power over regional immigration sovereignty to prevent massive influx of immigrants, either from within Malaysia or outside, from entering the State.

“During that time, the immigration safeguard was intended to protect the locals from being displaced in terms of socio-economic progress by immigrants (especially from Singapore and Malaya) and also to protect the State’s massive

“So, the call by the Chief Judge of Sabah calls for wholehearted support by all Sabahans and it is only apt that the Immigration Department together with the BN-led Sabah State Government immediately screen all the Pakistani citizens in the State along with other immigrants if they are indeed in possession of genuine travel documents or not. Thereafter, they must also set up an immigration check point at Menumbok and Jesselton Point without any further delay,” he added.

Darell also stressed that it is the obligation of the Immigration Department and Sabah State Government to ensure the State’s immigration sovereignty is being protected at all time and there should be no more dilly-dallying from them over this issue anymore.