By WU VUIDE
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said Sabah should never compromise on its autonomy and sovereign rights over immigration matters, warning that several federal laws risk eroding the State’s constitutional powers.
The same no compromise stand should also apply to other sovereign rights agreed upon during the formation of Malaysia in 1963 and entrenched in the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report and the Federal Constitution, he said in a statement yesterday.
He urged Sabah leaders to emulate Sarawak’s firm stance in protecting State rights and praised the Sabah Immigration Service Officers Union (Kesatuan Perkhidmatan Pegawai Imigresen Sabah – KPPIS) for voicing concerns over the implementation of the Malaysia Border Control and Protection Agency Act 2024 (Act 860), also known as AKPS.
“Kudos to the KPPIS and its immigration officers for raising their concerns. This has led to the Sabah government putting on hold the implementation of Act 860 and the AKPS in Sabah,” he said.
Jeffrey said Sabah’s autonomous powers over immigration are protected under national laws and have also been upheld by Malaysian courts.
He said the Sabah Government should extend its firm position on immigration matters to other areas involving State rights and autonomy.
According to him, Act 860 not only affects immigration powers but also impacts Sabah’s authority over agriculture and veterinary matters, including licensing, importation and quarantine of agricultural produce and livestock.
He said the Sabah Department of Agriculture Services and Department of Veterinary Services had long exercised full control in safeguarding Sabah against diseases and threats from outside the State, but under AKPS, those functions could fall under federal authority.
Jeffrey also claimed several federal laws had encroached on Sabah’s sovereign rights, citing the Territorial Seas Act, Continental Shelf Act, Petroleum Development Act 1974 (PDA74), Petroleum Mining legislation and parts of the Sabah Labour Ordinance that had been federalised.
He called for some of these laws, including Act 860, to be put on hold pending a review or rejection of provisions deemed to infringe on Sabah’s autonomy.
On Sabah nationality and registration matters, Jeffrey said the Sabah Government should take proactive steps to recognise and determine Sabah nationality before such recognition is adopted by the National Registration Department (JPN) for Malaysian citizenship purposes.
“Like immigration autonomy under the State, it is not the role of JPN to determine Sabah nationality,” he said.
‘Kudos to the KPPIS and its immigration officers for raising their concerns. This has led to the Sabah government putting on hold the implementation of Act 860 and the AKPS in Sabah’ – Jeffrey
