I refer to the letter Migrants: Enforce the law but have compassion too.

With reference to this letter I have the following comments to make. I can understand the writer’s concern about human rights for the illegal immigrants in Sabah. But at the same time, the writer must try to understand the dilemma that the Sabahan citizens are facing.

This issue is not a new issue, but has been going on since the last 50 years. The problem has become acute during the last 20 years. For the rest of the Malaysians who do not live in the state of Sabah, this matter is a non-issue, for they can not feel the negative effects and consequences that the Sabahans are facing everyday.

It is no more a secret that the previous federal government did silently condone the entry of the illegal immigrants for their own political agenda. The main reason for the ‘Welcome’ mat was largely political, and secondly due to their desperate move in ‘balancing’ the racial and religious fabric of the state’s (Sabah) population.

Oh yes, for the real Sabahans, everyone knows how compassionate we were (and many still are) towards the illegal immigrants. This 'flush out of illegal immigrants' move would not become an issue had the Sabahans not for many years been so kind, so welcoming and shown much compassion towards all those who landed on their soil.

In fact, the Sabahans never did know or never expressed any major concern about the term ‘illegal’ during those years and any alien who landed on local soil was regarded as a special guest, and was welcomed with open arms. The Sabahans had been unusually generous as to say, ‘My land is your land and thus we share the same.’ But at the same time, every country has its own laws and these rules and regulations have to be obeyed.

With regards to the human rights issue; we must look at both sides of the coin. No doubt that human rights matter for the illegal immigrants, but at the same time we need to check the human rights for the local citizens as well.

The most alarming matter now is the demographic make-up of the society that has been changed almost beyond recognition. Thus it is a matter of human rights for the Sabahans to have their basic rights and freedom to live and rule their own land. And it is the Sabahans' human rights issue that they are entitled to exercise what is good and just for the benefit of their future generations.

We can openly see the once illegal immigrants (be they Indonesians, Suluks or Pakistanis) now somehow proclaiming themselves as the citizens of the country with some of them are illegally holding two passports. And to add salt to the injury, a number of them - still with their fresh memories of their abandoned land and with their still thick alien accent - have miraculously obtained the title Datuk and Datin.

Now, as commonly known in the whole country of Malaysia, a Datuk or Datin title is literary a licence to promote themselves and they do just this over the helpless local citizens.

In short, the human rights issue between the illegal immigrants and the local citizens has been made into a complicated issue. Who are the ‘dirty, smelly and unwanted waste’ (as mentioned by the writer) depends on who is talking. Many of the once illegal immigrants are now high above the poor locals, who are scavenging the garbage dumps of the once illegal immigrants who have now been appointed Datuk and Datin.

Sabahans are all tired and exhausted over the years of welcoming these aliens whom they thought would become their brothers and sisters. But instead, these once aliens have demanded more than what the soil could offer the Sabahans themselves.

And now Sabahans have realised that if they don't 'fight' for their own rights, they would risk their future generation right to live on their own soil with dignity.

I hope that all those who think like the writer could have some compassion to hear the cries of the real Sabahans over those of the illegal immigrants and the bogus legally-made-citizen population.

Sabahans welcome all who wish to share their generous soil, but please know when the time comes to leave. Or else your overstay will create an imbalance in the spirit and soul of the very soil.

In conclusion, had the laws been obeyed, both parties (the illegal immigrants and the local citizens) could have avoided the unfortunate situation prevailing now.