THE Sabah Umno Youth chief wants the state government to rethink its move to provide special work passes to illegal immigrants in the state.

Abdul Aziz Julkarnain said it is locals who should be given jobs, and not migrants, many of whom are associated with criminal activities in Sabah.

Further aggravating the situation is the social stigma that exists among Sabahans following the Tanduo incursion in 2013, staged by their kin from the southern Philippines, he said.

Aziz also believed that there may be a hidden agenda to make Sabah part of the Philippines territory by documenting the migrants in the state.

“Or is this just a coincidence for the state government to provide them work passes following the attempt by a former Filipino senator to make Sabah the 13th state of the Philippines?

“The government must respect the sovereignty of the law that is stated in the Rukun Negara. The government should be firm on any migrant who violated the law of the Malaysia,” he added.

Aziz was responding to an announcement by Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal on giving special work passes to illegal immigrants in the state.

“As a responsible government, it should prioritise locals first before opening up for migrants.  

“Giving them work passes is against Shafie’s guarantee in May to end the unemployment issue here,” Aziz said.

The issuance of work passes to illegal immigrants will further encourage foreigners to enter Sabah illegally to find work, he said. – August 10, 2018.