Impact on domestic politics Illegal immigration to Malaysia

the power provide shelters refugees has been misused several individuals national registration department (nrd), when serious cases had happened on east malaysian state of sabah allow thousands of filipino muslims acquire malaysian identity card through secret project known project ic. evidenced done due ethnic connection own people established presence in various malaysian job positions (such had become either nrd members, politicians or security forces) bring relatives of same roots country of origin. example, syndicate pakistan has largely pakistani clients while others syndicate myanmar , indonesia have own clients. similar filipino cases when document producing network expand, started bring more illegal immigrants own ethnic community live here , become malaysian citizen. officer eastern sabah security command claimed corruption of local authorities (especially had similar ethnic groups illegals) , illegal issuance of identity cards had played important role on high increase of illegal immigrants in sabah. former prime minister such mahathir had continuously support influx of these illegals, saying should given citizenship. according research 2 filipino researchers, myfel joseph paluga , andrea malaya ragragio of department of social science university of philippines mindanao, flood of migrants mindanao sabah partly encouraged sabah politicians wanted sultan of sulu after fall of sabah muslim-led parties of united sabah national organisation (usno) , sabah people s united front (berjaya) administrations. stated source, politicians (with similar ethnic roots , religion immigrants) inside both of malaysian , sabah state governments has 2 main political purposes first 1 increase muslim populations in sabah make became political stronghold government while second 1 stop territorial dispute on sabah philippines providing such shelters filipino muslims discriminated catholic-majority philippine central government in homeland of mindanao without knowing many of immigrants comprising militants , criminals betraying malaysia in future own ideologies evidenced on 2013 intrusion other past attacks on sabah , recent kidnappings. security command in sabah ever mentioning:

although these foreigners stayed in sabah, loyalty homelands (mindanao , sulu archipelago) in philippines never swayed , brought along crimes drugs, smuggling , piracy. filipinos region vengeful , ill-tempered, disputes result in shooting , end in bloody feuds. culture call rido .

furthermore, during uncontrolled influx of vietnamese boat people malaysia, malaysian government felt threaten national security , racial balance of refugees resemble chinese people resulted been repatriated. malaysian government blamed united states, accusing them of being principally @ fault causing vietnam war , led large massive influx of these illegals vietnam neighbours, malaysia had phobia resulted 2 tragedies had happened country in past, 1964 led separation of singapore , 1969, both between malay , chinese. meanwhile, thousands of muslim illegal immigrants neighbouring countries such 1 southern philippines , sulawesi, indonesia continued given permission stay longer in country without restrictions , prediction on problems may posed in near future. sabahan muslims mp , state assembly such rosnah shirlin , abdul rahim ismail had felt culture problems brought filipinos muslims today, rosnah said:

the refugee camp established on district has creating lot of problems residents here. camp has become drugs den , source of many other criminal activities. on years, many robberies had taken place in nearby villages , culprits camp. supposedly, improved situation in philippines today has brought question whether these filipinos still regarded refugees. camp set on 40-acre plot of land near kampung laut in 1980s united nations high commission refugees (unhcr). unhcr had long ago stopped providing funds camp , result, many of these foreigners had been working outside camp. refugees had dare expanded camp area, encroaching on nearby village land , today, camp has become biggest syabu distribution den on district.

rahim supported saying:

for decades, village , several villages in constituency — beautifully rustic villages of traditional fishermen, went daily lives no cause worry except latest catch of day. sabah’s long-standing issues illegal immigration starting irk local communities, live fearing safety , culture. ambience of village has changed. obvious change security fears in village born , grew in. there colony of 50 or illegal immigrants living on private piece of land supposedly rented out them. illegal immigrants roam around village, , town area, pump boats use becoming common sight here. i’ve brought authorities before; police, immigration , district office. appreciate steps being taken, not enough give confidence local residents. if left unattended, sabah susceptible lot of social ills — illegal drug dealing , consumption, theft , robbery , “pump boat culture”. authorities need ensure sabahan land owners not rent out land randomly , contravening sabah land ordinance.

during recent royal commission of inquiry on illegal immigrants in sabah, number of revelations on granting of citizenship illegal immigrants revealed. former national registration director, mohd nasir sugip revealed part of top secret operation called ops durian buruk (operation rotten durian), whereby election commission of malaysia , deputy former home minister megat junid megat ayub instructed department issue national identity cards foreigners change voting demographics in sabah. during process of granting national identity cards, names of 16,000 illegal immigrants changed under instructions of sabah election commission. former sabah nrd director ramli kamarudin revealed former sabah chief minister osu sukam present when megat junid gave instructions carry out project ic exercise.

several witnesses benefited citizenship votes scheme have corroborated assertion, including filipino man said given identity card without applying it. further 2 witnesses india , pakistan said received identity cards in less 10 years, instead of going through normal process of getting permanent residency in 12 years , undergoing naturalisation after being in malaysia 10 years more.

upon knowing this, secret project had angered many sabahan natives including neighbouring sarawak close brother sabah. due fact many original bornean natives christians still stateless without birth certificates while newly arrived illegal immigrants can gain malaysian identity cards in short period through secret project because muslims. due this, malaysian federal government alleged practising bias management immigrants political intention change population demography special treatment been given asylum seekers muslims.