Decision To Drop Sabah Migrants Pass Not Due To Pressure Says Shafie Apdal

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Chief Minister Shafie Apdal (centre) inspecting the Sabah International Convention Centre in Kota Kinabalu today.KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government’s decision to drop the Sabah Temporary Pass (PSS) proposal is based on the people’s wishes and not because of pressure from any party, Chief Minister Shafie Apdal said today
He said the migrants’ pass plan was actually initiated by the previous administration and that the current government had made improvements to it
“But we heard the people’s voice when we saw the result of the recent Kimanis by-election — this is their wish. We also looked at the polling district centres, particularly in the Kadazandusun Murut (KDM) areas, and it was very clear
“The people have conveyed their concern. So I think we need to address the issue and that is what we have decided — to cancel the PSS,” he said after inspecting the progress of construction on the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here
Shafie had yesterday announced that the state Cabinet had agreed not to proceed with the PSS following Warisan’s defeat in the Kimanis by-election
Shafie, who is Semporna MP, said he had communicated with Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin over the state’s decision to propose the shelving of the PSS
“I sent a letter to him informing him of our move and I’ve also spoken to him,” he said, adding that he believed Muhyiddin had notified the federal Cabinet of the state government’s position on the PSS
On the SICC, Shafie said it can accommodate 5,000 people and would open its doors to the public early next month
It is 97% completed now. Once opened, he said it would be one of the biggest convention centres in the region. - FMT

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