KOTA KINABALU : — Special consideration will be given to Sabah in implementing the controversial citizenship amendments passed by Parliament last year, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan.
The Keningau MP said support for the amendments was conditional on assurances from the Home Ministry, which pushed them through despite objections from groups concerned about their impact on marginalised communities.
“They assured me that they will give special attention to Sabah. They will not decide anything on their own without our input, that is what was promised. Because of that, our concern was taken into account and the amendments were passed,” said Kitingan.
The Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) president said he was aware of the difficulties many rural Sabahans face in securing citizenship.
“We know many of them don’t go to hospitals, don’t have birth certificates, but they are rightfully citizens. That’s why I wanted Sabah to be exempt from this because of the circumstances,” he said.
Sabahan leaders had raised their concerns in a special briefing with Home Minister Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and were promised discussions before the amendments take full effect, he added.
“We are still working on this, but we need to follow up, perhaps in writing. The meeting minutes are recorded, so we have their word on this. There is no provision to exempt Sabah, but a joint committee in the state now ensures we are part of the decision-making process.
“They understand that there should be special considerations for us,” he said.
Concerns over amendments
Parliament passed several amendments last December altering how citizenship is granted in certain cases.
While some were seen as progressive, activists argued that others were regressive and could worsen conditions for marginalised communities.
Kitingan had previously called the changes a “double-edged sword,” saying they had pros and cons but could also reopen Sabah to illegal immigrants. He had called for Sabah to be exempt.
One amendment removes automatic citizenship for children born loally to Malaysian permanent residents. Activists warn this could increase statelessness, limiting access to education, healthcare, and employment.
Rural populations and children of mixed parentage are particularly vulnerable. Advocates have criticised the government for not consulting them despite their experience dealing with affected communities.
State-led citizenship process
Kitingan said it would be ideal for Sabah to take charge of vetting its own citizens through a state-run home affairs ministry overseeing labour laws, citizenship, and immigration.
“Personally, I still think we should implement a Sabah IC. It can be done as there is no law against us. It will differentiate us from other citizens and enable us to enforce native and immigration laws.
“It would also help to weed out those who got their citizenship from ‘Project IC’. I don’t agree that it is not doable. If you can issue visas, MyKads, and debit cards, you can issue a Sabah IC,” he said, referring to clandestine operations in the 1970s that granted immigrants citizenship to shift the electoral roll in the ruling government’s favour.
Kitingan, a proponent of Sabah-centric movements like Sabah Day, said a special mechanism would allow Sabahan authorities to verify genuine Sabahans from the grassroots level up.
“The officers would conduct registration exercises from kampung to kampung, which would involve getting their biometrics. They would issue this card which would grant them access to state-specific resources.
“The kampung people would know who is part of their community, and this has to be verified by a native chief. It should be easier with digitalising information. “
“To avoid abuse of power, we can implement a three-layer approval process — create a system or mechanism to make sure there is no space for abuse,” he said. – Malay Mail
