KOTA KINABALU: Initiatives are already under way to address the situation of the Bajau Laut communities in Sabah, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
“There was also a paper discussed in an earlier meeting on the Pala’u — the Bajau Laut sea gypsies — regarding an initiative to relocate them to a place called Pantai Manis in Semporna. Additionally, there is a plan to train them for work on plantations such as Felda Sahabat in Lahad Datu.
“All this was presented in a progress report by the Sabah State Government. This is very different from the perception that this group is isolated, neglected, or subjected to severe mistreatment,” he told the media after jointly chairing meetings with Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor on citizenship and the management of foreigners in Sabah.
The two-hour meeting took place at Menara Kinabalu.
Saifuddin said that relocation and vocational training form part of a “roadmap” for managing non-citizens, including the Bajau Laut communities. The group, which holds no citizenship in any country, has traditionally lived aboard boats or built homes on stilts in the middle of the sea.
They have often been negatively perceived due to their association with begging activities, particularly along Sabah’s east coast. In recent months, human rights concerns have also arisen following the demolition of their settlements in gazetted areas by the authorities.
Meanwhile, Saifuddin said Sabah had recorded 113,282 foreign nationals in the state’s centralised digital system, enabling real-time monitoring, tracking, and management.
“The system records complete biometric data — photographs, fingerprints, and so on — providing, in essence, the most accurate means of documentation. This digital registration of foreign nationals is unrelated to citizenship matters or the granting of permanent resident status.
“Citizenship matters fall under the special citizenship committee, which considers applications under specific provisions of the Federal Constitution,” he said, expressing hope that this initiative could be expanded to sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, production, mining, and quarrying.
The Home Ministry, he added, had agreed with the Immigration Department’s proposal to impose a moratorium on enforcement against foreign nationals, giving them the opportunity to register under the programme.
“After discussing various aspects today, we felt it was appropriate to support the Sabah Government’s initiative. Accurate and credible data is vital to formulating more comprehensive policies on the presence of foreign nationals in our country,” he said, adding that the moratorium period would be determined based on the Sabah Government’s recommendation.
Saifuddin also said that the Sabah State Government, in collaboration with the Home Ministry, had approved 1,247 citizenship applications under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution to resolve long-standing cases involving minors in special circumstances.
The applications, reviewed by a joint committee to expedite the process, include cases involving illegitimate children, children in welfare homes, and those born to non-citizen parents.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
