PUTRAJAYA: A special card will soon be issued to undocumented foreigners who have been living in Sabah for generations, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.

       The programme, which he described as a humanitarian initiative, would ease the social problems arising from them not having any kind of identification.

       However, Hamzah was quick to point out that the card was not equivalent to Malaysian citizenship or permanent resident status.

       “This card is a document to record their presence in Sabah. It will state that the card holder is a foreigner.

       “It is not in any way to award these people citizenship or permanent residency,” he told reporters after chairing a meeting here yesterday on the management of foreigners in Sabah.

       He said the foreigners card (kad warga asing) was proposed by the Sabah government, which was looking into how to resolve the complicated issue.

       “Some of them (foreigners) have been here for years and even up to four generations. They don’t know anyone or where their village is in the country their parents or grandparents came from.

       “Political will and commitment are needed not just from federal and state officials but also political, community and ethnic group leaders to find common ground to resolve this issue,” he said.

       Hamzah added that state authorities were currently collating the number of people who would be issued the card.

       According to previous reports, there are about 130,000 foreigners in Sabah who are holders of Kad Burung Burung, the Census Card and the IMM13 card.

       “We hope the cards can be issued within three months. When they are given the card, they can be employed as workers and we can then issue them with work permits to partly solve labour shortages.

       “When they are employed, they can pay for their children’s education and this will partly reduce social problems.

       “We need to find a solution now before this matter becomes too complicated to untangle,” said Hamzah.

       The meeting, which Hamzah had jointly chaired with Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, also discussed how the Bajau Pala’u community could be managed, enforcement against illegal immigrants, as well as security and border control.

       The meeting agreed for more joint operations to be held to resolve the issue of influx of illegal immigrants in Sabah and that the registration deadline for births be extended from 42 days to 90 days.