LABUAN: Security is one of the main reasons Sabah agreed to form Malaysia in 1963 but which past federal governments have failed to ensure, said Haji Abdul Jalil Ghani.
He said this failure is why the Tanduo incident in Lahad Datu happened in 2013, as well as the Sipadan kidnapping in 2000 and about 20 other hostage takings by the Philippine-based Abu Sayyaf group.
“On top of this, Sabah is also the only state whose 3.4 million population comprises an estimated one-third Illegal immigrants.
The activist was responding to Deputy Prime Minister-cum- Barisan Nasional Chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who said Sabahans should be grateful as it was Peninsular Malaysians rather than Sabahans who paid with their lives during the invasion by the Sulu Army terrorists in Lahad Datu.
Zahid was lamenting the “Sabah for Sabahans” slogan of several Sabah-based parties who are against the participation of peninsula-based ones, including Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional, in the Nov. 29 Sabah election.
Papar-born Abdul Jalil said any State having such numbers of illegals would feel uncomfortable for fear of the local population being gradually overtaken by foreigners eventually.
On the Tanduo incident, Abdul Jalil recalled that then Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, initially, refused to confront the terrorists who came with the intention to wage war against the Agong.
“Instead, he preferred to negotiate with the terrorists and making us a laughing stock in the eyes of the world. Imagine any other country preferring to negotiate with a bunch of terrorists.
“For two weeks he did nothing and only acted when the Sulu terrorists became bolder. Otherwise, the dozen peninsula enforcement personnel, two of whom were believed beheaded by the terrorists, would still be alive today. Any other Defence Minister would have resigned in disgrace.”
Jalil said Sabah was well defended before independence by the Border Scouts including during the Indonesian Confrontation.
The Sarawak Rangers helped defeat communists and were relied upon to keep peace during the May 13 riots in peninsula.
“For unknown reason, both states were asked to disband these local security apparatus in the 1990s. Only they knew the local territory better and could differentiate between locals and illegal immigrants.
“In fact, the Tanduo incident should not have happened if lessons from the 20-odd kidnappings since Sipadan in 2000 were learnt. So don’t come to Sabah and lecture that Sabahans should be grateful. Just make sure whoever is our Defence Minister is capable and please restore the Sarawak Rangers and Border Scouts,” he said.
Abdul Jalil said it is only under the Anwar-led Madani federal government that Sabahans are seeing more defence assets being directed to Sabah, including the stationing of a battalion in the east coast next year.
“That this was not done despite the many security breaches the past 60 years under Umno-led BN administrations is why Sabah jails are today overwhelmed by foreigners committing rapes, robberies and murders.
“The five detention centres are also filled with illegals whose lengthy stays due to reluctance of the Philippines Embassy to repatriate them fast is costing Sabah taxpayers millions of ringgit in having to support their stay pending deportation.”
