Social vs. Federation Contract

1. The Sultans and the rulers of Malaysia issued a strong statement to defend the so-called "social contract". The Rulers warned that there should never be any attempt to test or challenge issues related to the social contract. Like a recent forum organized by Bar Council.

2. Sultan of Perak proposed teaching of "social contract" in education institutions. “The social contract is part of our history. Our children could then learn and understand what the social contract is without any sensitivity, suspicion or feeling that they have been left out.”

3. As expected, chorus of support were given to the rhetoric. Leaders of various communities came out in full support of the rulers stand. Their sincerity remains a question. Ong Ka Ting, Samy Vellu, etc. supported the kings stand. They praised the kings' strong message. All because of a subscript from the main message that is "The Rulers assured the "non-Malays" of their rights under the Federal Consti-tution."

4. In this euphoria of supremacists, nobody seem to care about the definition of "social contract". They've been focusing on one point, and that one point is apparently "unknown". Your Highness, we beg you. For your subjects unable to comprehend the concept!

5. But where's our Sabahan leaders? No one came out in support or disagree with the message from the rulers. What are we? Are we unable to articulate our sentiments? Where is Bernard Dompok who said he will continue to defend Sabahans rights. Who said that the more we discuss sensitive Sabahans issues, the less they'll become a problem. Where is Pairin? Where are all those so-called defender of Sabah?

6. The "social contract" if it ever does, only exists tacitly in conjectures defended by certain parties. An agreement between the communities in Malaya, mandated when the Malays agreed to give citizenship to the Chinese and Indians Immigrants. In return of the goodwill gestures by the Malays, then the Immigrants agreed to bestow special rights to the Malays. In other word it was like a debt to be paid by the next generations. And mind you, by the look of current development, it will never be fully settled.

7. If the above definition is true, then the "social contract" was never and will never be applicable to Sabahans in Sabah. We were not indebted in any way to any party within Malaysia. We do not need to pay anything. We should never be obliged to adhere to any contracts. We were awarded independence on August 31st 1963, before joining Malaysia on September 16th 1963. As an equal partner with equal rights.

8. And yes, how could our Sabahan leaders kept quiet after the Sultan of Perak proposed teaching of "social contract" in schools? It is like telling our Sabahan children that their forefathers carried a social debt that they now have to pay. Sabahans shall never agree to this. Not until the "federation contract"; the contract and agreement clauses used to form Malaysia; is similarly taught in schools.

Legalized PATI (Pendatang Asing Tanpa Izin)

1. It's an Open Secret that Illegal Immigrants are roaming freely in Sabah. Many argued that the solutions from federal government were mere superficial actions to curb people's growing anger. The 50 million ringgit recently allocated by the federal government for massive illegal immigrant sweep in Sabah, as i see it, and I believe many of you concur with me, that the operation did NOT produce any significant result.

2. These Illegal Immigrants have established their own dwellings in several parts of Sabah. Some of these enclaves have become eyesores to us Sabahans and to incoming tourists. One wouldn't disagree that Pulau Gaya is a safe haven for Illegal Immigrants. This is a hive and clusters of menacing drug dealers juxtaposed with the constant supply of other vices in Kota Kinabalu. And yet the recent Illegal Immigrants Operations focused on areas such as Penampang and Putatan. Wouldn't they haul more success if they concentrated the operation in these known enclaves? Or are the dwellers in Pulau Gaya already attained Citizenship?

3. Enforcers do not need to face all the trouble going to Pulau Gaya. They can just focus their operation at Center Point Shopping center, with clearly more fishes to fish there. For those enforcers eagerly waiting to impress, expecting a pay hike or even trying to "kipas" their bosses, a right time would be during festive seasons like the recent Hari Raya Aidilftiri. You would be spoilt for choices, a lot of foreigners are roaming the streets. Stateless street children are everywhere. You won't be dissapointed. But be warned though, you will need a bigger and more Temporary Detention Centers. Such as those in Menggatal Bukit Paradise, Sandakan and Tawau.

4. Having more Temporary Detention Centers means having to fork out more from the government coffers. Money that could and should be spent on genuine citizen would be wasted in funding Illegal Immigrants. In which they in the first place were allowed in by unscrupulous "agents" for attaining political supremacy through dubious means. And yes, these "agents" did gain upper-hand in Sabah's politics. You can see their supremacy by unfair award of government projects. But they failed to notice the dangerous after effects of their greed. One Illegal Immigrants who came to Sabah twenty years ago would have already multiplied to a family of 5 children by now.

5. This is the stark reality looming unto us. Say if there were 300,000 (by all means this figure is not accurate) legalized Illegal Immigrants in 1990. By now there would be already about 1,000,000 of them. Most are born in Sabah and mostly spent their lives in the ghettos. Mind you, these Illegal Immigrants are living in a morbid environment with lack of amenities and healthcare. They have been totally forgotten by the "agents" that brought them in. After giving the "agents" an unfair advantage in the local political scenes, now these Illegal Immigrants have been forsaken and living in forlorn. Deprived by a goodwill thanks they should readily deserve from those "agents" for a job "well done".

6. Our Sabah politicians, notably UPKO recently have reaffirmed their commitment in supporting the federal government led by UMNO. There's no need to reiterate Sabahans requests to the federal government. They should already positively notifed of our predicaments. For Sabahan Politicians, I say Go On Barking At The Wrong Tree.

7. Together let us throw out these "agents" that have made our life miserable. Unite and be counted, stand firm in the presence of political turbulence. As Sabahans, we have great responsibility to ensure fairness and equality are served to our chidlren and their grandchildren's children. For those forsaken Legalized PATI, you can help us too, you can help gouge out the eyes of those "agents" who had forsaken you. An eye for an eye.

Solution for a Lost Identity

1. 78 year old Mrs. Yong Lee Hua, a sino-kadazan (like myself) lost her identity card in a supermarket in Penampang last year. She is a genuine Malaysian Citizen, a Sabahan, residing in Sabah even before independence in 1963.

2. She went to National Registration Department hoping to get a new MyKad. But only to be disappointed when she was instead given a red IC with a status of a permanent resident. Equivalent to a refugee in her own country.

3. Imagine this, as a genuine citizen mistaken as a refugee, she will be denied all citizenry rights. She will not be able to acquire land nor buying a house. She will not be able to buy Amanah Saham Nasional ASN range of shares. Her children or relatives will be living in constant fear that her PR status could be revoked anytime and lots of other predicament that we would not normally face as a citizen.

4. UPKO was frustrated with the way Mrs. Yong Lee Hua case was handled by the National Registration Department. Led by Wilfred Bumburing who even threatened to review UPKO's position in Barisan Nasional if the issue is not promptly settled.

5. I give credits to UPKO for bringing the case up. At least the people who are living in ignorance of peninsula's hegemony will know the issues Sabahans are facing. But they will always make us wonder. Why now? Why barking on a wall? I can assure you, it will not move an inch.

6. Even if Mrs. Yong Lee Hua case is settled. I think there are hundreds others who are facing the same problem. Living as a permanent resident in their own country. As said by Donald Mojuntin, UPKO will always try to help those who are affected. Donald even revealed two other Sabahans who were issued red IC.

7. In my humble opinion, a solution to this problem is simple.

8. National Registration Department is keeping over 20 million of civilian demographic records. Added to that, they are also keeping biometric and portrait records of each citizen. All inside a database.

9. Regardless whether you have or have not registered a MyKad, your biometric record should exists in JPN database. This is because prior to rolling out MyKad, JPN I believe had conducted conversion of the old blue Identity Card from Paper Form into computerized digital data. The fingerprints have been digitized enabling 'Matching' with a person's live fingerprints.

10. These biometric records are kept securely in Putrajaya NRD Department. Why not use this sophisticated technology to arcertain Mrs. Yong Lee Hua identity? Remember CSI (Crime Scene Investigation)? Mrs. Yong Lee Hua biometric record should exists in NRD database, because she had an IC before. The one that she lost in the supermarket. So, her biometric record should be reusable.

11. There are two types of matching.

12. Number one is called 1 to 1. This way NRD should call Mrs. Yong in. And conduct a search in their database, either by name "Yong Lee Hua", by her old ID number that is if she could remember it. And by any other demographic data as claimed by her. The search should be straight forward, don't 'kelentong' me that NRD cannot do that, I Know it can be done. When the record that she claimed hers is found. Then the stored fingerprint can be used to 'match' with her live finger, of course with the help of state of the art biometric device. Come on! don't tell me NRD do not have this facility! If Mrs. Yong 'live fingerprint' positively matches with the 'stored biometric record' then we can positively say that 'she is what she claimed she is'.

13. Number two is called 1 to many. This way NRD can call Mrs. Yong in, take her 'live fingerprints' and dump it into NRD biometric database to search against 20 over million of fingerprints data. The purpose is to find 'matching candidates' for the 'biometric database'. If there is a positive match, then the system should be able to tell with 'whose record' Mrs. Yong 'live fingerprints' matches with.

14. If the results are positive. Issue a new MyKad lah BONGOK. Problem solved.