Minister admits population rise due to aliens' presence

Rise due to the entry of migrants since '70: Nazri
Kota Kinabalu: Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said the entry of Philippine and Indonesian migrants into Sabah was a main contributor to the 278 per cent rise in the State's population between 1970 and 2000.

He said this in a written reply to Sepanggar MP Datuk Eric Majimbun's question during his debate on the National Budget 2009 in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday. Majimbun had touched on the increase in Sabah's population by 285 per cent, based on the Population and Housing Census for 1970 and 2000, which is higher than the 113 per cent increase at national level in the same period.

Mohd Nazri said the Population and Housing Census for 1970 and 2000 data showed a 113 per cent increase in the Malaysian population.

Sabah recorded the highest population increase (in the same period) by 278 per cent, he said, adding the factors contributing to this population increase included births and migration.

He said the steep rise in Sabah's population between 1970 and 2000 was contributed by the high percentage in natural population increase in the State by 137 per cent. The country's natural population increase was only 59 per cent for the same period.

Mohd Nazri said migration into Sabah also contributed to the State's population increase, with 8 per cent recorded in 1970 compared to 7.3 per cent at national level. In year 2000, it rose to 16.3 per cent compared to the national level of 7 per cent.

The increase was mainly due to the entry of migrants from Indonesia and Philippines, he explained.

He said the increase in population by ethnic composition was also high, with the bumiputera and non-bumiputera population recording an increase by 253 per cent and 333 per cent, respectively.