Media statement by Dr. Hiew King Cheu in Kota Kinabalu on Monday, 23^rd April 2012:

1,303,126 PATI worries Malaysians

The question on the worrying number of PATI (Pendatang Asing Tanpa Izin) in the country that has created much worry among Malaysian was raised in Parliament recently. The number of PATI was disclosed by the Minister of Home Affairs in a written reply showing alarming figures of these foreigners who had entered the country through illegal channel and without proper documents.

The figures were derived from the recent exercises done through the registration on 5P in Sabah and 6P in Semananjong. Selangor has the highest number of PATI up to 353,306 persons, WP Kuala Lumpur has 330,321, Sabah has 161,548 and Johor has 126,064. The strange part is that Sarawak has no PATI registered and FT Labuan has only 589 persons.

The total figure of 1,303,126 PATI registered over the 5P and 6P exercise is alarming and it is a threat in the country. This also reflects the slackness on the part of the government in controlling the foreigners from entering the country easily and freely. This figure did not reflects the real and actual situation in the country due to many of these people did not turn out to get themselves registered and they are in the hiding.

We feel that the security of the country is at stack and the huge number of PATI has also created fear among the people. The most worrying issue is that many of them have become Malaysian, especially in Sabah. This is proven by the rapid increment of the Sabah population over the past years, and this is not experienced by other states. The figure of 161,548 as mentioned for Sabah may not be a true figure because we Sabahan knew that it is easily more than that.

The government blamed it on the long coast line and very difficult to guard them from coming in, that is not true and this is reflected in the case Sarawak where they equally have longer coast line. The question is where it went wrong, may be due to the government slackness and no determination to deal with the matter. Many have said the PATI can come in and out of Sabah freely and whenever they like.

The influence and impact on the economy and stability of the country is great, and can be disturbing when national security is concerned. Our country has to live with all these problems nowadays. The job opportunities of the locals were robbed by this cheap supply of labours.

The Prime Minister Najib did not dare to announce during his recent visit to Sabah on the setting up of the RCI which was endorsed in Parliament through the PSC report. This raised much doubts in the real intention for not immediately setting of the RCI to bring the matter of PATI to the open. May be this will affect the coming general election result, which is the biggest worries of the BN. The large number of new voters came under the category of "Lain-lain" (Others) in the electoral roll is a clear indication. There will be more of these people be listed in the 2012 list. Our local people gradually will be out numbered soon.

* Dr Hiew King Cheu, MP for Kota Kinabalu