RP-Malaysia pact to curb immigrants

RP-Malaysia pact to curb immigrants

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia's eastern Sabah state welcomed
yesterday a peace treaty between the Philippine government and
Moslem separatists, saying it will help lower the state's
500,000-strong immigrant population, an official said.

"The illegal immigrant problem is the single most problematic
issue in Sabah that has haunted successive (state) governments,"
said Yong Teck Lee, chief minister of the resource-rich Sabah
state.

However he was optimistic the treaty would see some illegal
Filipino immigrants gradually returning to the southern
Philippines as the economy improves through greater foreign
investments.

Yong told a news conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, that of
Sabah's 1.8-million population, about 500,000 were illegal
Filipino and Indonesian immigrants. The state has the largest
number of illegal immigrants in Malaysia.