KOTA KINABALU, April 29 -- Usukan assemblyman Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis wants action taken on foreigners running businesses using Sabahans' names and cited Pakistani-manned sundry shops statewide that are killing local businesses.

"This is not just a business issue. It is an issue of local economic sovereignty," she said when debating the Head of State Policy Speech, Tuesday.

"How can our small business owners compete or break into bigger markets when they are already drowning at home, pressured by foreign monopolies using all sorts of business tricks?"

Munirah cited the situation in Kota Belud and Tenghilan showing a pattern of foreign nationals taking over retail trade one sector at a time, with Pakistani-run shops now including ty...