Security chiefs in Sabah are gearing up to tackle the continuing influx of illegal immigrants. This comes in the wake of concerns that the opposition in the state is making strong political capital out of the issue.

Sabah Rela, for one, is targeting 129,000 members; the country's largest by the end of this year. The Immigration Department is stepping up the pace of its arrests. The Sabah police headquarters, meanwhile, has directed district police chiefs to tackle issues related to illegal immigrants.

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) is keeping an eye on syndicates ferrying illegal immigrants back home for Aidil Fitri.

"Our investigations reveal that there are syndicates made up of local tekong who know the area well," said MMEA Enforcement Director-General Admiral Mohd Amdan Kurish. "We have intensified efforts to find them, especially the masterminds."

Already, the MMEA has identified several other syndicate heads to be detained once investigations are completed. The syndicates generally use trawlers without lights or proper navigation equipment at night to avoid the authorities, as well as illegal jetties hidden in forests.

labuan port The MMEA, disclosed Amdan, has also identified potential areas from where the illegal immigrants would depart and arrive. The current estimate is that there are at least 30 places used as entry points by illegal immigrants. They stretch from Labuan and Kota Kinabalu to Tawau at the southernmost end of the eastern seaboard.

Mohammad Mentek, the first local recently appointed as Sabah Immigration Director, expects the pace of illegal immigrants picked up to increase in the remaining months of the year.

"We have a special squad to monitor all the entry points into the state," said Mentek who has 869 personnel under his command. "Our coastline is very long. There are also many islands in the east coast. We also have land borders with the Philippines and Indonesia."

Police worry over possibility of disunity

illegal immigrants roundup 010305 patiently waiting 9,000 illegal immigrants were picked up throughout the state since the beginning of this year, according to Immigration Department figures. Of these, about half were nabbed by police and referred to the immigration authorities.

"The opposition has raised issues related to illegal immigrants. It could lead to disunity in political parties," said Sabah Police Commissioner Noor Rashid Ibrahim. "We must not give opportunity to certain quarters to complain."

He was speaking on the sidelines of distributing Aidil Fitri goodies at the Sabah police headquarters on Monday in Kepayan, Kota Kinabalu.

The message to his men is that it's the responsibility of the police force to make arrests, investigate and charge criminals. There is more to it than just opening an investigation paper (IP), he added.

The public notion, conceded Noor Rashid, is that the police have become too comfortable with the situation. When asked what their next course of action would be, the police would invariably reply that they have "opened an IP", he said, in urging his men to work with other agencies.

The tone is similar at Sabah Rela, according to State Director, Brig-Gen (Rela) Samasuddin Lawe who puts the strength of the force at 103,000 volunteers. "The Immigration Department and the police have also sought the assistance of Rela in operations to nab illegal immigrants."

A membership recruitment drive is underway. Each Rela member who recruits ten others would be given incentives. Discussions are also being held with the Education Ministry to allow the recruitment of students. The role of the latter, however, would be confined to the vicinity of the school. There are plans to allow Rela members to become Rela auxiliary police to assist the police and the immigration authorities.

"We have a new multimillion ringgit training centre in Tuaran which is among the best in the country," said Samasuddin on preparedness for a bigger volunteer force. "It is open to local authorities."

Syndicates link up with corrupt officials

Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) secretary-general Henrynus Amin commended the police and other enforcement agencies for their active role in arresting and deporting illegal immigrants. Still, the party is investigating reports that illegal immigrants arrested by police are often released because they possess IMM13 (refugee status) documents.

"We are also investigating allegations of the existence of illegal syndicates working with corrupt government officials and local people to produce dubious citizenship documents for illegal immigrants," said Henrynus.

United PasokMomogun KadazanDusunMurut Organisation (Upko) secretary-general Wilfred Madius Tangau wants the state government to also focus on not renewing the estimated 57,000 (Federal estimate) to 84,000 (state estimate) IMM13 documents held by illegal immigrants considered refugees.

The IMM13 has to be renewed yearly but it's by no means certain that all are doing so. There's also suspicion that the IMM13 documents are being "transferred" to new arrivals after their holders land a MyKad.