KUALA LUMPUR: Putrajaya will only look into the possibility of extraditing Malaysians living abroad, who are fuelling secession talk between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak, said Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

He told the Dewan Rakyat yesterday that very few police reports have been made against such groups, and he urged the public to lodge more reports.

“Based on the reports made, the police have investigated and sent the investigation papers to the Attorney-General, but the A-G is still looking at it based on facts and provisions in law.

“Only after that can we talk about extradition, and although we have good relations with the authorities in England, we must first ensure that what is considered an offence here is also considered an offence there,” he said.

His reply prompted Chong Chien Jen (DAP-Bandar Kuching) to say that the majority in Sabah and Sarawak feel they are being treated as the “stepchild” by Putrajaya, especially Umno.

He said Sabahans and Sarawakians feel left out of the wave of development and that the conditions set when Sabah and Sarawak joined the federation are not being fulfilled.

Chong asked if Putrajaya would look into engaging and discussing with the groups that feel unhappy with the state of affairs instead of suppressing them.

Wan Junaidi said a small number support the secession talk, adding that it is not possible to engage these people if they “are running off to England”.

As such, he said the approach taken by the federal government is correct.

Wan Junaidi also expressed confidence that Sabah and Sawarak would see exponential development over the next few years, as experienced in Peninsular Malaysia. — The Malaysian Insider

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on November 25, 2014.