Previous BN Federal Cabinet never approved PSS, says Zahid

KIMANIS: The previous Barisan Nasional Federal Cabinet never approved the implementation of the Sabah Temporary Pass (PSS) in Sabah, said Umno President Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic).

The former Deputy Prime Minister cum Home Minister came forward to explain about the PSS issue that Warisan and Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders claimed was started by the BN government.

Zahid and former Parti Bersatu Sabah president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan cum Technical Committee on management of illegal immigrants Chairman denied that PSS was included in the recommendations of Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on presence of illegal immigrants in Sabah that was issued in December, 2014, except that there was a proposal for a “Resident Pass”.

“I confirm the statement issued by Pairin who was the Technical Committee Chairman of the RCI, that there was no single proposal from RCI or the main committee or the technical committee to establish and implement PSS.

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“Hence, the statements made by the present Federal Minister, Home Minister, Deputy Home Minister and Chief Minister of Sabah that BN created PSS is totally untrue and must be rejected.

“They should admit making such mistake and pay the price on Jan 18 for making wrong statements and be punished by voters this Saturday by rejecting them and vote for our BN candidate Datuk Mohamad Alamin,” he said.

Zahid said this in his speech at a “Himpunan Muafakat Rakyat Sabah” organized by Secretariat of Penyatuan Ummah and Muafakat Nasional Umno Malaysia at an open space in Kimanis Commercial Centre here.

About 1,000 people attended the talk. Present were Sabah Umno President Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) President Datuk Seri Dr Maximus J. Ongkili, PBS Advisor Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) Deputy President Arthur Kurup, MCA President Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong, former Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, BN candidate Datuk Mohamad Alamin and other BN leaders.

Pairin had said although there was a proposal for a “Resident Pass” by the Immigration Department, there was no decision made by the main committee.

Zahid said he co-chaired the main committee together with Tan Sri Musa Aman who was then the Chief Minister to review all RCI recommendations or suggestions on addressing illegal immigrants in Sabah.

He said six former Federal Ministers who were present in the event can vouch that the then BN Federal Cabinet never gave approval to implement any PSS.

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“What we did was to establish Temporary Detention Centres or known as ‘Rumah Merah’ in Sabah where the coalition took an action to deport 10,000 illegal immigrants in the centres to their country of origin.

“Together with BN Sabah, at that time, we did that because we want to ensure only Sabahans and the indigenous people were given the priority to benefit economic opportunities as well as education, healthcare and doing businesses in Sabah,” said Zahid.

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