PUTRAJAYA: Foreigners who have been living in Sabah for many years are to be issued a special card for identification, says Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (pic).

       The Home Minister said this is following a proposal by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor during a meeting on the management of foreigners in Sabah.

       “The move will help provide identification to foreigners who have lived in Sabah for years, in fact, generations but do not have any documentation,” he told a press conference after the meeting on Thursday (Feb 10).

       Hamzah however stressed that the card for foreigners in Sabah would not give them a permanent resident status or citizenship.

       “This card is so that they can have an official document. The state government will identify those who will be receiving it and will also be issued to children,” he said.

       Hamzah said the aim is to start issuing the card in three months’ time and that the state government is going through its data to determine the number of recipients.