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KOTA KINABALU: A man’s MyKad caught Sepanggar MP Datuk Eric Majimbun’s attention because the man’s name indicated that they could be related.
“The man was using our family name (Majimbon), but with slightly different spelling. He even claimed to be living in Kampung Pomotodon in Inanam where my family lives,” he said. Speaking to reporters here yesterday, Majimbun said that he came to know about it after several villagers told him. “He apparently went around showing his MyKad to seek employment. I managed to get hold of his MyKad and quickly wrote a letter to the chief secretary of the Home Affairs Ministry and National Registration Department (NRD) on Oct 4 last year. “I want to know how the man had obtained the MyKad bearing the number 560930-12-5739. A year has passed, and I never got a reply to my letter. “We did some investigation and found out the man is a Filipino, surnamed Maguil, and he had admitted to having obtained the document a couple of years back,” he said, adding that there have been many cases of foreigners having valid identification documents just by spelling their names differently. He was however taken aback when an elderly man, born and raised in Sabah way before Malaysia, came to see him yesterday morning and claimed to be documented a ‘permanent resident’ by the National Registration Department. Majimbun said his fate was almost similar to 78-year-old Yong Lee Hua @ Piang Lin from Penampang who lost her citizenship when she lost her MyKad to a pickpocket last year. While some described the matter as an isolated case, he thought otherwise. “We have a situation where locals are given PR status while foreigners and illegal immigrants were issued MyKad. How is this possible? Why isn’t NRD doing anything about it? “Even names on the electoral roll are not updated. Does this show that there is no coordination between NRD and the Election Commission?” he asked, adding that in some cases, the living were registered ‘dead’ by EC. Citing the case to support his earlier contention of rampant issuance of fake MyKad in Sabah, he claimed that it was only the “tip of the iceberg”. He therefore suggested that the government set up a special body to deal with the many issues related to dubious MyKad holders. Majimbun, who also heads the Sabah Progressive Party’s newly formed Foreigners and Identity Cards Bureau claimed that there were many discrepancies in the issuance of MyKad by the NRD but nothing has been done to rectify the matter. He said that although the state government had set up a steering committee to look into the matter, it had failed to make any difference. “The problem has been ongoing for over 30 years. We should have a comprehensive computerised monitoring system but since it is too late, we should start at the beginning. “A Royal Commission of Inquiry would be a good idea to solve the issue but it has been rejected by the government,” he said, adding that the Sabah Registration of Births and Deaths Ordinance 1953 states that all late registrations have to be done in court proceedings presided over by a first class magistrate. “But now it is no longer done. That is where the loophole is. This is where people started taking advantage of the lose administration,” he said. The SAPP deputy president also reiterated his call for proper analysis to be conducted on the “phenomenal” 285 per cent growth in the state’s population over 30 years. “In the 1970s, the population stood at 636,431 people. The number shot up by 285 per cent to 2,449,389 in 2000. “Where are these people? The government should analyse the sudden growth as it is way too high compared to other states. “Even our nearest neighbour, Sarawak recorded 976,269 in the 70s and increased by only 106 per cent to 2,012,616 people,” he said. Majimbun therefore urged the government to step up and find a solution, adding that it would jeopardise the sovereignty of the country if it was not tackled fast. - The Borneo Post
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All you traitors in East Malaysia, stop supporting the stupid racist Govt and do something to atone your stupid sins now!