KOTA KINABALU: Keningau MP Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said Sabah does not need an Indian Consulate, insisting the state should prioritise a Philippine mission instead.
He said the Indian community in Sabah is small and largely made up of Malaysian citizens, adding that Sabah already has sufficient foreign workers from Indonesia and the Philippines.
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“We do not support the establishment of an Indian Consulate in Sabah. Please do not create new problems for us in Sabah. We need a Philippine Consulate, not an Indian Consulate,” he said.
Jeffrey was responding to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s statement backing India’s plan to open a consulate in Kota Kinabalu following a joint press conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Feb 8.
He said public sentiment on social media questioned the priority of an Indian mission, arguing that a Philippine consulate would better address issues involving Filipino nationals, including illegal immigration and cross-border matters.
He also urged Putrajaya to engage diplomatically with Manila on establishing a Philippine consulate in Sabah.
