Close down refugee camp, Rosnah urges
KOTA KINABALU:
Papar Member of Parliament Rosnah Abdul Rashid Sirlin has again urged the Government to close down or relocate the UNHCR refugee resettlement camp in Kinarut as local villagers are under threat of social and health problems. The lack of proper and adequate sanitation as well as rubbish disposal system have brought about all these problems, Rosnah said when debating the King’s motion of thanks in Parliament on Tuesday. “Closing down the refugee resettlement camp would also deter more immigrants especially from the Philippines from coming to Sabah,” she said, adding this would be one of the ways to resolve the illegal immigrants problem fated by the state. Rosnah also urged the Federal Government to find out the actual number of immigrant,s including those granted permanent status, in the country and find ways to resolve the problem with those who entered the state illegally. At the same time, Rosnah also urged the Government to take action against private rice millers who did not contribute to the country’s rice stock. “Currently only Padiberas Nasional Berhad (Bernas) is given the responsibility to stock up on rice and this is not fair as Bernas only controls 45 per cent of the country’s rice market while the private millers control 55 per cent,” she said. To this end, she said the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affair minister needs to enforce the Rice and Padi Control Act on the private millers so they will play their part in ensuring that the country’ has sufficient rice stock. She also appealed to the Federal Government to given Sabahans more opportunity to serve in Government agencies and Government Linked Companies. “Do not overlook Sabahans in terms of promotion as many of the Government officers here are experienced,” she said.
