Source Borneo Post

KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia: Parti Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has slammed those politicising his support for public requests related to identity document applications during his tenure as Chief Minister of Sabah.

Mohd Shafie pointed out that as a leader, he could not bring himself to reject people especially those who travelled from faraway places, seeking his endorsement to resolve their documentation issues.

He clarified that he only offered letters of support, but decisions on the applications remained fully subject to government regulations, particularly those of the National Registration Department (NRD), the authority responsible for processing such requests.

“I didn’t know the background of the individuals seeking my support, whether they were Sabahans or non-citizens,” he said when met by reporters at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport today.

“As fellow human beings and as leaders, when people come from far-flung villages asking for letters of support to apply for identity cards (ICs), how would I know whether they are Sabahans or not? How would I know if they are immigrants?”

“The authority lies with NRD, not me. But how could I turn someone away when they come all the way from Tongod, from Pensiangan, bringing letters asking for help? These are real issues in Sabah, which are experianced by some children of Sabahans themselves,” he said.

Mohd Shafie said this when asked to respond to allegations that he supported undocumented individuals in applying for identity documents during his term as Chief Minister between 2018 and 2020.

The controversy refers to a letter circulating on social media, showing Mohd Shafie’s endorsement of applications for documents such as MyKAS (for temporary residents), MyPR (for permanent residents), and MyKAD (for Malaysian citizens).

Mohd Shafie explained that many Sabahans in the rural areas are undocumented because of many factors such as having financial constraints to travel to the towns where the NRD offices are located to register their children.

As an effort to resolve the problem, the mobile registration programme was introduced, he said adding, “when even one child does not have any identification document, the parents in these rural villages will be worried.

“As a leader at the time, I tried to help. If people come to the office and I refuse to sign, I’d be called an arrogant leader. But I didn’t have the power to approve the applications,” he said.

Further elaborating, he stressed that verifying the authenticity of the applications he supported was entirely JPN’s responsibility, as he received countless letters requesting his help.

“When have I ever had the power to issue ICs in Malaysia? What for? I’m not the Home Minister, I’m not the Registration Department. Whether the letter was valid or not, I receive thousands of letters.

“I’m a leader, but I’m also human. I never ignore anyone — whether it’s an ordinary person or even a deceased one. I’ve even arranged for the remains of Sabahans to be flown home from Kuala Lumpur. It’s not like the dead can vote,” he said, adding him being charitable to the people was also alleged to be efforts to buy votes.