Sabah Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal has called on the relevant authorities, the National Registration Department (NRD) in particular, to solve the problems faced by the tribal Lundayeh people in Long Pasia who have neither birth certificates nor identity cards.

“During my visit here (Long Pasia) today, I met with some of the locals who complained that they never had a birth certificate, let alone an IC.

“They are not immigrants … they are locals who have been residing in the village for decades. So, we have to solve the problems and we call on the relevant authorities to come to Long Pasia as the people here do not have any means of transport to travel to Kota Kinabalu,” he said after visiting several areas in the village and presenting the keys to the new building of (SK) Long Pasia today.

The chief minister said the problems of the Lundayeh people not having identity documents should be solved immediately as it would spell trouble for their children when they want to enter school.

“Without identity card, their children will not be able to enter school, let alone pursue education at a tertiary level. So, I have also asked Sipitang District Officer to help solve the problems,” he said.

On Sabah Education and Innovation Minister Yusof Yacob’s proposal to reopen Long Pasia Airport, which had been closed for so long, Mohd Shafie said efforts to develop tourism products in the area should be undertaken first before the proposal could even be considered.

“What’s important is to develop the tourism products first … such as accommodation, eateries and interesting tourist spots.

“This place (Long Pasia) is a very beautiful place and there is so much that can be done like boosting the livestock and bamboo industries,” he said.

Long Pasia, with a population of approximately 1,000 people, is located about 130km or a six-hour drive on timber roads from Sipitang. It borders Sabah, Sarawak and East Kalimantan, Indonesia.

– Bernama