FILIPINO refugees holding IMM13 papers in Sabah should be repatriated as the civil war in Mindanao has ended, said a former assemblyman today.

James Ligunjang, who was Petagas rep, urged the Parti Warisan Sabah state government to deport the refugees rather than dilly-dally on the matter.

He said given that the unrest in southern Philippines has ceased, IMM13 should no longer be issued, even to the children of pass holders.

“The visitor’s pass can only be issued to refugees displaced due to an ongoing war in their country, under the supervision of the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR).

“In the case of Sabah, there should be no more registration as the civil war (in Mindanao) has long ceased.

“There should now be a repatriation exercise, carried out in coordination with UNCHR.”

IMM13 was issued by the Immigration Department to Filipino refugees who entered Sabah between 1972 and 1984.

Today, the department clarified that the rush at its Kota Kinabalu office last week was due to a census carried out to determine the number of children of IMM13 holders in Sabah, and not because passes were being issued.

Ligunjang had used the IMM13 controversy to criticise the state government, suggesting that Warisan had its priorities mixed up – whether to resolve the state’s migrant issue or attack former foreign minister Anifah Aman.

Anifah was chairman of MySabah, of which Ligunjang served as secretariat.

Warisan secretary-general Loretto Padua previously said he was “amused” by Anifah’s statement that no cabinet members had wanted to join him in tackling the migrant problem, and that the latter lacked credibility among ministers from Sabah.

“Instead of criticising Anifah, especially when he was not even at the function, Loretto should concentrate on explaining to the people why there was an oversight in the so-called ‘reopening’ of the IMM13 registration, and how an entire state government was not aware of it,” said Ligunjang.

“An excuse claiming ignorance, or that immigration matters fall under federal purview, is not acceptable because in Sabah, we have authority over immigration issues,” he said, adding that the state can no longer cope with the influx of illegals. – October 15, 2018.