GRS: Don’t equate ‘non-citizens’ in DOSM data with illegal immigrants

KENINGAU (Jan 5): The Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) Keningau Station Polling District Centre (PDM) has expressed its full support for the statement by the Youth Wing of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, which stressed that the term ‘non-citizens’ in data issued by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) must not be directly equated with the issue of illegal immigrants (Pati).

GRS Keningau Station PDM head Yazid Mohd Hasnan Tawik @ Charles, said loose and politically motivated interpretations of official data only confuse the public and create inaccurate perceptions of the actual status of foreign nationals in Sabah.

According to him, as explained by the Gagasan Rakyat Youth Wing’s acting head Azrul Ibrahim, the non-citizen category in DOSM statistics includes documented foreign nationals (Padi), such as legally permitted foreign workers, international students, holders of temporary work passes, as well as their dependants, and does not refer exclusively to illegal immigrants.

“The public must be given factual and accurate explanations, not sensational portrayals that label all non-citizens as illegal immigrants. Such an approach is not only misleading but also does nothing to resolve the real issues,” he said in a statement on Monday.

Yazid added that the increase in the number of non-citizens in major cities such as Kota Kinabalu should also be assessed comprehensively, including in the context of post-Covid-19 economic recovery, labour needs, and the implementation of the Digital Registration System for Foreign Nationals.

He explained that the digital registration system is intended to record the actual number of foreign nationals present in Sabah and does not bring in new foreign nationals, but instead enhances transparency in management and monitoring.

“This step is important in supporting security, development planning, and the formulation of more accurate and effective policies at the state level,” he said.

He further emphasised that GRS remains committed to supporting the efforts of the Sabah State Government under the leadership of the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor, as well as the federal government, in addressing issues relating to foreign nationals in a comprehensive manner based on accurate data, effective enforcement, and responsible policies.

“Issues of security and Sabah’s sovereignty must be addressed rationally and based on facts, not by distorting data for political interests that ultimately mislead the public,” he said.