Land invaded by 600 squatters, says Dept
Published on: Thursday, August 18, 2016
Kota Kinabalu: The Fisheries Department said the demolition of homes being carried out in a mangrove area in Manggatal, here, is necessary as the land belonging to it had been encroached by some 600 squatters.Its Deputy Director II Azhar Kassim said the demolition work was handed over to City Hall because they are experienced and well-versed in terms of law ordinance and regulations. "As owners of the land, the Department ordered the illegal structures to be demolished according to advice from City Hall.
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"For us in the department, we do not take sides when it comes to carrying out our duty to demolish the structures."We have already demolished more than 200 squatters in the mangrove area belonging to illegal immigrants, the next step is to demolish structures on land," he said. The demolitions started in June.He said the department's stand is that houses with tenants are not to be demolished until further instructions. Priority is given to demolishing structures without occupants," he said, adding that they estimated more than 600 squatters on the land.
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"We aim to demolish more than half that figure this year, but that does not mean we will not demolish all the structures. "We will continue to be consistent in carrying out the duty until there are further instructions from the State Government that the land be gazetted as village settlement, after which we will consider," he said.
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In 2014, then State Land and Survey Director Datuk Osman Jamal was quoted as saying that the said land was gazetted for use by the Fisheries Department in 1973, involving altogether 380 acres and that the said land had been committed to the Fisheries Department.It was also reported that a group of people staying on the land had submitted several applications to the department for the said land since 2001 but were rejected on the basis that it had already been committed to the Fisheries. Meanwhile, squatters claiming to be locals hoped the State Government would reconsider their application for the land to be gazetted as a village settlement. "We have no place to go, we hope the government would reconsider our application," said single mother Noriyati Abdul, settled there in 2012. "I have five young children and two elderly parents to feed, we are poor people and I only earn my living from selling homemade cakes," she said. Also present was Persatuan Peranakan Suluk Sabah President Mohd Ahmad Ayid who said they support the government's decision but hoped for assistance in this matter. "I am here as the Persatuan Peranakan Suluk Sabah president, to uphold the rights of Sabahans, including the Suluk community who are also bumiputera of Sabah," he said. "Personally, I think if there is land, we have the right to apply for it from the government, whether it is approved or not depends on the government but we hope the government will help in this issue. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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