KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 — Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis today called for concerted efforts to educate the public on distinguishing between undocumented migrants known as “Pendatang Tanpa Izin in Malay” in Malay or Pati, and stateless people, amid a storm over the ongoing eviction of the indigenous Bajau Laut community from their illegal settlements in Sabah.
Speaking in Parliament, the Kota Belud MP backed suggestions from Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan and Semporna MP Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal on resolving the status of the seafaring Bajau Laut tribe who have long resided in Malaysia’s easternmost state.
“Leaders should educate the people about these differences,” Isnaraissah was quoted by news portal Free Malaysia Today as saying while debating the Malaysian Human Rights Commission’s report in the Dewan Rakyat.
“Pati refers to undocumented immigrants who enter a country without proper documentation and through improper channels, while stateless individuals are those without citizenship,” she added.
According to Isnaraissah, talks about what to do about the Bajau Laut is timely but citizenship issues in Malaysia are very sensitive to the point that “no politician in Sabah wants to talk about it”.
“I really hope we embrace this issue. We can differ in terms of ideology or approach, but there are issues that we need to discuss and tackle together.
“Otherwise, this issue will never be resolved. We can argue about how to manage it, but we have to start the discussion,” she was quoted as saying.
Isnaraissah urged closer collaboration between Putrajaya and the Sabah state government to ensure a balance between upholding human rights and ensuring national security.
She suggested that Suhakam hold more open discussions in Sabah involving community representatives, Sabah leaders, and experts.
Yesterday, the news portal reported Kitingan and Shafie calling for a resolution to the Bajau Laut’s statelessness that has severely restricted the community’s access to healthcare, education, and legit economic opportunities.
The Sabah government’s move in demolishing Bajau Laut settlements earlier this month have sparked controversy and drawn international scrutiny on human rights in Malaysia.
Some activists condemned the state for its inhumane and disrespectful actions towards the Bajau Laut while others insisted that authorities had acted within the law.
