Set target to solve 'illegal immigrants' problem

The government should put a time-frame to its plans to round up and deport all undocumented migrants from Sabah, said Joseph Pairin Kitingan (BN-Kenangan).

Ideally, said the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president, 2011 should be designated the 'target year' for the issue to be solved.

"Just as we target the eradication of hardcore poverty by 2010, I call on 2011 to be the target year (to root out undocumented migrants from Sabah)," said Kitingan when debating the mid-term review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

Describing undocumented migrants as the "first enemies" of the country, the veteran Sabahan politician said the issue is not only a problem to Sabah but to the nation as a whole.

"It is serious problem that needs to be dealt with before it jeopardises the sovereignty and security of the nation," said Kitingan.

He said this is because undocumented migrants violate not only immigration laws but election regulations as well as "we know many foreigners have become phantom voters."

Kitingan said further that the all out campaign to round up undocumented migrants should involve agencies at all levels of the government, including the state district offices and the village development and security committees.

"There should be no place for illegal immigrants to seek refuge in," he said.

On another matter, Kitingan called for the government to do a detailed study of how to bring about greater non-Malay Bumiputera employment and business and educational opportunities.

"It cannot be denied that there are very few non-Malay Bumiputeras occupying important positions in the industrial, business and government sectors as compared to other ethnic groups," he said.

Can you do it like Dr M?

Meanwhile, Mukhriz Mahathir (BN-Jerlun), asked what the government was doing to tackle the oil speculators and commodities speculators who are wreaking havoc on developing countries like Malaysia.

Recounting the aggressive role played by his father, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in dealing with the 'scourge' of currency speculators who were blamed for the 1997 financial crisis, Mukhriz said Malaysia's voice was then heard around the world calling for such speculators to be reined in.

Upon the onset of the East Asian financial crisis of 1997-98, the government managed to mitigate the damage done by currency speculators like George Soros by establishing capital controls to prevent currency speculation and stabilising the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange, he added.

Internationally, the government also highlighted the need to regulate the activities of currency speculators - which Mukhriz described as "daylight robbery" - even if this did not result in putting into place international legislation for the purpose.

Comparing the crisis then to the present situation of rising global oil and commodities caused by traders speculating in 'paper oil' and commodities futures, Mukhriz asked what Malaysia was doing to lessen the damage.

"We should not concede defeat to unregulated external market forces to determine our economic standing," he said.

"Surrendering to the external market forces to determine the fate of Malaysians is not being proactive," he added before citing Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's statement during his midterm review speech that the current oil crisis is due to external factors beyond the government's controls.

"As done in 1997, we should reject conventional advice and use the creative resources within the country to fight against these oil speculators.

"I know we are a small country without much influence, but our voice has not been loudly proclaimed to every corner of the world in calling on the international community to save the situation?" he asked.

"I call on the govt to increase efforts to be a voice for the Third World in the international arena to spread awareness of the immoral activities of oil and commodities speculators," said Mukhriz.

Nasharuddin Mat Isa (PAS-Bachok) in his debate on the midterm review called for the expansion of the 'committee system' to all ministries.