PARTI Bersatu Sabah has urged cautioned over the express replacements of birth certificates and MyKads to Sabah fire victims living in water villages. 

Its president, Dr Maximus Ongkili, urged the authorities to ensure only genuine citizens get them. 

“We (PBS) acknowledge that MyKads must be reissued swiftly, but it must be done the right way. 

“In the case of the recent Putatan fire, fire victims were reissued their identification documents within 10 days,” he said. 

“The National Registration Department and the authorities must conduct thorough checks and investigations to ensure that only proven, genuine Malaysians are given replacement documents,” he said in a statement today.

At least eight suspicious fires at squatter settlements have occurred across Sabah since June last year.

On Monday, Sabah National Registration Department director Ismail Ahmad had gone to the ground to reissue documents to Putatan residents.

While he commended the NRD for its quick action to replace the MyKads, Maximus said such exercises must be carried out only after thorough screening of applicants.

He said this was to ensure foreigners did not take advantage of these exercises to acquire Malaysian citizenship documents.

Hundreds of water villages dot Sabah’s coast, and are believed to also house illegal immigrants from the Southern Philippines and Indonesia. 

The NRD, Maximus added, must also ensure that the verification process was transparent and could be cross-checked by local community leaders.

“This is ensure those receiving documents are genuinely locals. 

“While we commend the NRD for their efficient and prompt action, such response should not only happen when fires occured in squatter settlements, especially where there are known colonies of illegal immigrants.”

The Kota Marudu MP said of late, small fires had often cropped up in various rural districts.

“Usually, fire victims wait months before getting their MyKads and birth documents replaced. Yet, these are all locals and natives.

“PBS wants to ensure the territorial integrity of the Malaysian nation. We have had enough of the infiltration of illegal immigrants and domination of unwanted foreigners.” – January 22, 2019.