KUCHING: Opposition Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) has also come out in support of Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi’s stance to reject refugees especially from countries noted for violence and torn by anger and hatred from coming into Sarawak.
Its President Voon Lee Shan urged political parties from Malaya not to interfere with the affairs of Sarawak, especially, concerning immigration matters and allowing foreigners to seek refuge here.
“There is no reason to accept refugees in Sarawak. We need to take care of our own poor.
“It is not easy to give food and accommodation to refugees and we should not accommodate them,” he said.
He also described Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, who wanted Nanta to apologise for his statement (about not accepting refugees from Palestine) for being insensitive to the rights of Sarawakians in protecting their land.
He reminded the politician from West Malaysia that the Sarawak government has control over immigration matters under the Immigration Act and the Sarawak government should not allow foreigners including Palestinians and Israelis who are facing the war now to seek refuge in Sarawak.
“We support Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi’s stance on the issue and we urge Dr Akmal Salleh to apologise to the people of Sarawak.
“We have seen enough trouble in Borneo about foreigners and illegal immigrants coming here. They caused lots of trouble to us,” he said, adding that Sarawak should not be a ‘dumping ground’ for trouble makers.
He added that PBK condemns the war between Israel and Hamas as in a war nobody wins, with the only left being dead bodies and destruction of properties.
Earlier Sarawak DAP, which is an opposition party in the state, also threw its weight behind Nanta’s stance.
On Monday, Nanta said Sarawak need not accept any refugees, when asked to comment on the caution by social activist Peter John Jaban of Sarawak Association of People’s Aspiration and several other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on the probability of Palestinian refugees being allowed into Sarawak.
Nanta, who is also Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) secretary-general, said he wholeheartedly supports the stance of the NGOs.
“We must be very careful so as to maintain and nurture our peaceful state where the people are now happily living in perfect harmony. We do not need any element that can sow negativity, divisiveness and hatred among Sarawakians eventually,” he said.
“Prevention is better than cure (because) we do not want to regret it in the future.”
Nanta stressed that Sarawak should and must focus on socio-economic development for the good of her own people.
“We are just a small country. We cannot be burdened by refugees. We still have many poor people of our own who need our full attention and care,” he emphasised.
However, Nanta said he would want all who can afford to contribute financially to help the war victims who are suffering, to buy essential supplies for them, and that this would be more meaningful and safer for Sarawak.
Earlier, Peter said the Sarawak government must guard its immigration autonomy tightly, in view of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s continued support for Hamas, which the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) feared would lead to an influx of refugees from Palestine.
The activist also called on the Sarawak authorities to prioritise the state’s demographic mix and social harmony, reminding them that the state has its own social issues to contend with before it seeks to support the view of the Prime Minister.
