KOTA KINABALU, Nov 1 — Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan has today advised commissioner of oaths and other authorities to be cautious of verifying statutory declarations (SDs), citing alleged abuse of the documents by foreigners.

Kitingan said that he was notified of the trend and contents of SDs as supporting documents, claiming people are using them to declare residence in Sabah and affirming lawful conduct as a way to facilitate their documentation processes.

"The timing and increasing frequency of this trend raises significant concerns, particularly with the certification of these declarations by commissioners for oaths. Such endorsements could lead to unintended legal consequences,” he said in a statement here.

"There is a real risk that these documents could be misused, potentially impacting Sabah’s legal and electoral integrity,” he added.

Kitingan provided three copies of such alleged SDs, indicating that the applicants wished for the declaration to be a supporting document to her identification documentation process.

The applications declared that they were free of any criminal record, and were holding a letter from the Chief Minister’s Department while waiting for the next document process

Kitingan also reminded commissioners for oaths to uphold the integrity of the legal system.

"They must ensure that no actions taken inadvertently support the issuance of identification documents to non-citizens through irregular means.

"Every statutory declaration linked to identification or citizenship applications must undergo rigorous assessment and officials must remain vigilant to prevent any misuse of the SD process,” he said.

Sabah has a notably high immigrant population, due to its proximity and borders with neighbouring countries like the Southern Philippines and Indonesia.

This influx began during the 1970s and 1980s due to political instability.

The foreign population here is estimated at around 1 million, most without valid documents, although many have carved out a livelihood.