PENAMPANG, May 5 — The Sabah government does not have the authority to issue identity cards and passports to any individual, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
The power to issue identification documents was only with the Federal departments namely the National Registration Department and the Immigration Department.
“I want to state here, the Sabah government does not issue self-identification documents. We do not have the authority, the power to issue the identity card is with the National Registration Department and passports is with the Immigration Department, not Sabah departments,” he said.
Mohd Shafie who is also the president of Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) said this in his President’s Policy Speech at the Warisan Annual General Assembly 2018/2019 here today.
He made the comment after allegations were made by certain parties that the Sabah government under Warisan had issued identification documents to illegal immigrants (PATI).
“I hope the parties that say we (the Sabah government) had issued (identification) documents will ask Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin if I have the authority to issue those documents or not,” Mohd Shafie said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Jaujan Sambakong told reporters that Mohd Shafie’s policy speech was quite clear in addressing all issues connected to the party.
He said the accusations made by certain parties that Warisan had issued identification documents to PATI were not true.
On a separate development, Jaujan who was Warisan vice-president said the party was always open to any individual who wanted to join it, on condition they were sincere about strengthening Warisan’s struggles for the sake of the people and to develop Sabah. — Bernama
