Azis Jamman slams Ahmad Zahid over Sabah temporary pass issue

KIMANIS, Jan 11 -- Deputy Home Minister Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman has hit out at former Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for denying that the idea to implement the Sabah Temporary Pass (PSS) actually came from Barisan Nasional (BN).

During a "ceramah” (talk) held in conjunction with the Kimanis parliamentary by-election campaign in Bongawan town here today, Mohd Azis presented evidence of Ahmad Zahid's involvement by reading the minutes of the Committee on the Management of Foreign Nationals meeting dated July 31, 2015. 

According to Mohd Azis, the meeting, which was chaired by Ahmad Zahid and former Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman, had clearly suggested and agreed for the resident pass to be streamlined.

“The minutes of the meeting clearly stated the recommendation for the IMM13, Kad Burung-Burung and census certificate to be coordinated into a document called Sabah Resident Pass.

“The meeting also agreed for it to be implemented, but they (BN) say they never announced it before. Yes, it’s true (they did not announce it) because they fell in the 14th General Election,” he said.

On Jan 9, Ahmad Zahid, who is also the BN chairman, denied that PSS was actually an initiative by BN when it was in power.

Last year, the Committee on the Management of Foreign Nationals agreed to issue PSS from June 1 this year to replace three types of documents issued to long-staying foreigners in Sabah, namely 1MM13, the census certificate and Kad Burung-Burung.

-- BERNAMA