Tuesday, April 2, 2013

MALAYSIA REQUIRES PASSPORTS FOR FILIPINO BARTER TRADERS IN SABAH





MANILA, Philippines  - The Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur said Monday (April 1) that Malaysia has imposed new guidelines for barter traders in Sabah and Labuan, notably requiring Filipinos and other foreigners to have passports or seaman’s books in order to enter these areas. 
The new rules come amid the continuing tension between the Philippines and its ASEAN neighbor Malaysia, over the case of hundreds of followers of the Sulu Sultanate whom Malaysian security forces are pursuing for their attempt to “reclaim our homeland,” Sabah.
The Sultanate claims it never relinquished ownership of the resource-rich territory, which the British government gave to Malaysia when the latter was federated. The Sulu sultanate had rented out Sabah to British merchants, and continues to receive annual rental payments from Kuala Lumpur.
In a report to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippine embassy in KL conveyed the Malaysian Foreign Ministry’s note verbale to all diplomatic missions in that country: “With effect from 15 April 2013, all crews of barter trade ships or vessels will be required to produce valid travel documents, i.e international passport or seaman book at all entry ports in Sabah.  Seaman identification card (SIC) will no longer be issued to crews of barter trade ships or vessels without valid travel documentation.”
The note verbale added: “Effective from 2 April 2013, permanent Custom and Immigration Quarantine (CIQ) complexes will be operating at Ports of Kudat and Lahad Datu as well as an Immigration Control office at Karakit, Pulau Banggi where all immigration and customs procedures will be enforced at the said entry points.”

Source: InterAksyon...More...

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