Jeffery George
A special technical committee which is studying the Royal Commission of Inquiry report on illegal immigrants has recommended a new high-security identity card as a solution to the Sabah’s illegal immigrant problems.
According to Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan who heads the special committee, they are in the final stages of completing a report based on suggestions received.
He said the report was being finalised and hoped that it would be ready by year end responding to growing calls by Sabah leaders for firm action to be taken in line with the RCI’s recommendations released in December last year to resolve the problem.
Sabah State Reform Party (STAR) chairman Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan is the latest to join the increasing number of Sabah leaders calling for Sabah IC to be issued to tackle Sabah’s migrant woes.
“The Sabah government should implement a high tech, high-security Sabah IC as there is no legal impediment to its implementation.” he said adding that all that is needed is for the Sabah Legislative Assembly to pass a Sabah Registration Ordinance.
“Technically, there are virtually no problems in the physical process of documenting and issuing a high-tech and high security Sabah IC which can be done in 30 minutes at the most.” he said adding that biometric security features such as thumbprints, iris/eye retina identification and other features are now easily available.
Jeffrey reminded that the Home Ministry is already issuing 2.5 million i-Kad with biometric security features for foreign workers and there is even a civil servant’s high-tech ID (Identification Card) issued that prevents imposters from posing as genuine civil servants so there should be no technical hindrance to the issuance of a Sabah IC with high-tech and high security features.
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