Orang Asal against birth certs for illegals

KOTA KINABALU: Orang Asal youths in Sabah have slammed the Home Ministry’s plan to issue birth certificates to the stateless children of foreigners when locals face difficulty in securing the documents.

Orang Asal against birth certs for illegals -Pairin Kitingan

They are backing Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) President Joseph Pairin Kitingan who has pledged to oppose the idea.

The Orang Asal youth, grouped under the Sabah Youth Movement Coalition which includes PBS, Upko and PBRS, were shocked and disappointed with Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who had said birth certificates for stateless foreigners was one of the recommendations in the Royal Commission of Inquiry Report (RCI).

PBS Youth chief Jake Jikulin Nointein said the Orang Asal youth were opposed to the idea that birth certificates must be issued to the stateless children of foreigners on humanitarian grounds to enable them to attend school.

Nointein, while conceding that the stateless children of foreigners were governed by the United Nation’s 1959 Declaration of Children’s Rights, said the consent of the people of Sabah must first be sought.

“We don’t want this move to be undertaken for reasons of political expediency which will compromise the position of the Orang Asal,” said Nointein, who also heads the Youth Coalition.

He said the Orang Asal youth was concerned that locals faced difficulty in securing birth certificates.

He suggested that the stateless children of foreigners be registered at the nearest police station and issued with special passes by the Immigration Department, as provided under the Immigration Act.

Nointein said the Foreign Ministry should initiate talks with the embassies of the Philippines and other nations as well as stakeholders such as Unesco and NGOs to resolve the plight of the stateless children of foreigners.

Upko Youth chief Arthur Sen hoped that Zahid would not unilaterally instruct the National Registration Department (NRD) to issue birth certificates to the stateless children.

“We must first table the RCI Report in Parliament and debate its recommendations if any.

“Zahid appears to be trying to sideline the RCI Report and going ahead with an idea which may not be what he claims is in the report.”

“The RCI Report can only provide guidelines and these need to be discussed,” he said.

He also pointed out that the Sabah and the Federal Cabinet have yet to discuss the RCI Report and consult with each other on the issue.

PBRS Youth chief Arthur Kurup echoed the remarks of the other two leaders in the Youth Coalition.

“We can consider schooling for the stateless children on humanitarian grounds without issuing them with birth certificates.

“Issuing birth certificates to these children will mean they will be entitled to MyKads later. This will compromise the security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sabah,” he said.

Kurup said the rights of the Orang Asal must come first because there were many who did not have the personal documents and this issue must be addressed and not the plight of foreigners.