KOTA KINABALU: The issuance of Sabah identity cards is the best option to authenticate Sabahans, says Sabah STAR president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.

He said the proposal by former chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Salleh Said Keruak to re-register MyKad for genuine Sabahans may provide some relief, but will not resolve the problem of migrants with unverified documents.“I remain sceptical about its effectiveness in fully addressing this longstanding issue.

“If re-registration alone can resolve this, it would have been done so years ago,” said Kitingan, who is Deputy Chief Minister I.

He said a more specialised approach is better and he believes that issuing a Sabah IC is a more viable and effective solution.

“Unlike re-registering MyKad, the Sabah IC will be tailored specifically to Sabah’s needs.

“This dedicated identification system will allow us to manage and authenticate the identities of Sabahans independently,” Kitingan said.

He said Sabah IC creates an additional layer of verification that will go a long way in helping authorities distinguish genuine Sabahans from those with questionable documentation.

With the Sabah IC, he said genuine Sabahans will have easier access to state-specific resources, as well as secure employment and educational benefits that have been diluted by those holding dubious documents.

Kitingan said to ensure integrity, the Sabah IC should incorporate stringent security features, making it difficult to forge while easy for authorities to verify.

He said Sabah STAR is committed to working transparently with all stakeholders, including local communities, to ensure the Sabah IC is developed and implemented in a way that genuinely serves Sabahans.

“For Sabah STAR, the Sabah IC is the most practical and efficient solution to Sabah’s ongoing documentation challenges,” he added.

Several studies over the years consistently reported that undocumented individuals make up a significant portion of the population, impacting access to resources and services.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/11/17/call-to-issue-sabah-ic-for-real-sabahans