KOTA KINABALU, Sept 11 — Parti Warisan (Warisan) has raised concerns over the sharp rise in the non-citizen population in Sabah, which has increased by 233,000 over the past four years.

Wira chief Terrence Au noted that the latest figures—1,043,400 non-Malaysians, or 27.88 per cent of Sabah’s population—are both alarming and perplexing.

"Coincidentally, the Sabah government entered into a business partnership with Tawi-Tawi, whose Governor visited Sabah in January last year. We don’t want Hajiji and the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and Pakatan Harapan government to be labelled by Sabahans as ‘breeders of illegal immigrants (PTI),’” he said referring to Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

Au acknowledged the government's efforts to curb the influx of foreign nationals through arrests and deportations, but said the rising numbers paint a different picture.

According to data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia, non-citizens made up 27.88 per cent (or 1,043,400) of Sabah’s population as of July 2024, the highest in the state’s history. This marks an increase of 233,000 from 2020, when non-citizens numbered 810,400, or 23 per cent of the population.

Au added that the surge began in 2023, when the non-citizen population reached 921,000—an increase of 156,800 from the 764,200 recorded in 2022.

"GRS, while still with Bersatu, was very vocal about the issue of PTI throughout the 2020 state election campaign, including the issue of the Sabah Temporary Pass (PSS),

"However, after becoming the government, GRS announced the Foreign Workers Card, which was just a rebranding of the PSS,” he said.

The Foreign Workers Card has since been replaced by the Sabah Workers Integrated Management System (SWIMS), with nearly 40,000 foreign workers registered as of April this year.

"For this reason, the government, especially the chief minister, cannot remain silent about the influx of over one million non-citizens in Sabah since 2023,” he said.

It was reported last year that Southern Philippines Tawi-Tawi governor Ysmael Sali and Hajiji have agreed to work together for mutually beneficial programs that would help bilateral trade and the returning Filipinos for their placement in Sabah.

The agreement was reached during the Tawi-Tawi governor's visit to Sabah in March with Bangsamoro Parliament Deputy Speaker Benjamin Loong and Bongao Mayor Jimuel Que and Turtle Islands Mayor Mohammad Faizal Jamalul.

Since then, more trade opportunities including a passenger ferry service between Tawi-Tawi and Lahad Datu that also carries poultry export to Tawi Tawi has begun.

The ferry can load 350 passengers and 300 tonnes of cargo per trip.