In a statement, PBS vice-president Arthur Sen said Shafie should not have written “sukacita dapat diluluskan” (glad if it’s approved) on applications for identity documents such as the MyKAS and MyPR.
He said the authority to decide on such applications lies solely with the national registration department (JPN) and the home ministry.
“Is it appropriate for a chief minister to write such notes on MyKad and MyKas applications — especially when he has admitted he was unfamiliar with the background of the individuals who approached him?
“He should have understood that such support did not originate from an ordinary parliamentarian, but from his position at the time as Sabah chief minister and chairman of the state security working committee.”
Stating that such handwritten notes could be construed as interfering with the JPN and the home ministry’s jurisdiction, Arthur said the incident had raised concerns about the integrity and impartiality of the processes that govern citizenship and residency in Malaysia.
Last Saturday, the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) urged the authorities to investigate two documents allegedly containing remarks that implied Shafie wanted MyKAS and MyPR applications to be considered favourably.
One, dated April 26, 2019, asked the authorities to expedite an extension application from a resident of Semporna for the MyKAS temporary resident identity card, while the other dated Oct 9, 2019 was for the citizenship application of the child of a resident in Lahad Datu.
KDCA Youth chief Steve Johnny Mositun questioned the alleged political interference and urged JPN and the home ministry to disclose the number of MyKAS, MyPR and MyKad applications supported by Shafie when he was the chief minister between 2018 and 2020.
Shafie, who is Warisan president, has defended writing the letters after stating that he did not have the heart to reject the individuals as they had travelled long distances to seek his help, adding that he knew that the final decision on these applications was with JPN.
Shafie’s lawyer Chen Ket Chuin has said that the support letters from Shafie were for stateless Sabahans applying for identification documents, not illegal immigrants.