A study on the situation of 172,200 illegal immigrants in Sandakan based on the 2010 census needs to be done in order to effectively detect them.

Deputy Chief Minister Raymond Tan Shu Kiah said these illegals formed 38 percent of residents in the Sandakan district who numbered 453,500, according to the census conducted by the Statistics Department the same year.

In light of this, he urged the Sandakan Municipal Council (MPS) to do a study to be used as a guide in carrying out concerted operations to identify the illegals.

“The study should include their locations of stay and their activities including illegal trading at various commercial areas in the district,” he said after attending an MPS meeting in Sandakan today.

Tan, who is also state Industrial Development Minister, said the presence of many illegals in this district had also created other problems like squatter areas, illegal water and electricity supply connections and uncleanliness.

He said the state government was now waiting for the proposals from the royal commission of inquiry (RCI) which was still conducting its public hearing at the Kota Kinabalu court, on tackling the illegal immigrant problem in Sabah.

Tan said when the investigation was completed and the proposals obtained from the RCI, the operations to overcome the problem in Sabah, particularly in the Sandakan district, could be carried out more effectively, especially with the help of the study by MPS.

On the restructuring of squatter housing in this district within the Eastern Sabah Safety Zone (ESSZONE), Tan said the state government would ensure that the locals involved be moved out to new housing areas including the People’s Housing Projects (PPR).

He said the local people’s welfare would take priority, while there would be enforcement action against illegals in the (squatter) areas.

Tan said restructuring of squatter housing in the state was necessary, taking into consideration the security aspect and the need to protect national sovereignty against outside threats following the intrusion incidents at Kampung Tanduo in Lahad Datu and at Kampung Simunul in Semporna in February this year.

- Bernama