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SABAH SURVEYS | Parti Cinta Sabah and Parti Solidarity Tanah Airku (Star) may not be in the same field, but they have one thing in common.
Both parties have been peddling allegations that Warisan was an accessory to a scheme to illegally grant citizenship.
The narrative used by the leaders of the two parties is completely similar.
They claimed that when there are fires in squatter areas made up of undocumented migrants, residents will salvage their furniture and not their identification documents.
After this, the fire victims would ask the government for birth certificates and identification cards, or according to their stories.
‘Without brain’
When contacted, Warisan Youth Chief Azis Jamman (photo up), a former deputy interior minister, said the PCS and Star accusations were ridiculous.
He said that only the federal government has the power to issue identity cards and birth certificates, not Sabah’s chief minister.
“The National Alliance is the federal government. Not Heritage.
“Only brainless people, like the leaders or supporters of Star and PCS, will accuse us of that,” he said.
Azis’s party, Warisan, has been grappling with allegations that the party consisted of, or was supported by, unwanted migrants who entered Sabah illegally.
Read more: Sabah Decides 2020: Making sense of players, parties and battles
‘TVs, no ICs saved’
Malaysiakini noted that Star President Jeffrey Kitingan used this narrative during a rally in Tambunan on September 21.
“What happened after Warisan took over (in 2018) was a lot of squatter areas burned down.
“Then the Department of National Registration appeared, not the Department of Welfare. What was lost (in the fire) were the identity cards and birth certificates,” he said.
“(The victims) put away their televisions, clothes and beds. Why didn’t they keep their identity cards or birth certificates?
“This is (Warisan’s) priority. This is their legacy. They are saving the ‘PTI’, who should be deported, captured or jailed. Am I right?” Kitingandown) roared, as the crowd cheered approvingly.
The term “PTI” (outsiders without permission) is used frequently in this election campaign.
According to the 2010 census, one in four Sabah residents are non-citizens and therefore the territory has the highest proportion of non-citizens in the country.
Read more: Who’s Who is Sabah 2020 Pick
PCS is suspicious
PCS President Anifah Aman related a very similar story during a rally at Bingkor today.
His version claims that the victims of the fire “could” become Malaysian citizens if they were given identity documents and birth certificates.
Talking to Malaysiakini Anifah later said it was “mind-boggling” that fire victims chose to put away their furniture and refrigerator, but not their papers.
“There are some places where the NRD vehicles showed up. Why? Many people speculate.
“The fact is, it raises some questions,” said Anifah, who claimed that what he was describing was well documented by the press and social media.
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