Move to gazette squatter areas as villages
Published on: Saturday, February 29, 2020
By: Larry Ralon
The Main Committee on Squatters.
Kota Kinabalu: The Main Committee on Squatters has set a policy which includes gazetting areas deemed suitable to be villages so that basic amenities and infrastructure can be provided, as part of efforts to resolve the serious squatter problem in Sabah.Presently there are 227 squatter colonies with total population of 153,188 throughout the State. Kota Kinabalu topped the list with 54 squatter colonies inhabited by 34,173 followed by Sandakan with 34 (29,192 people), Tawau 28 (15,079) and Semporna 18 (31,292).ADVERTISEMENT
Lahad Datu has 14 squatter colonies with total population of 21,084, Beluran 10 (2,640), Putatan 10 (2,206), Kudat 8 (6,256), Beaufort 8 (960), Keningau 7 (1,633), Pitas 6 (1,897), Papar 6 (830), Nabawan 5 (764), Kinabatangan 4 (347), Tongod 4 (227), Kunak 3 (2,037), Sipitang 3 (293), Tenom 3 (258), Penampang 1 (1,987) and Kota Marudu 1 (33), while no statistics were available for five districts namely Tuaran, Kota Belud, Ranau, Tambunan and Kuala Penyu.
The State policy on squatters, which was set during the committee’s first meeting at the Local Government and Housing Ministry in Wisma Innoprise, Friday, also mentioned the use of “in situ” method where construction of affordable and low-cost homes will be offered.
The policy also required the owner of land affected by a squatter colony to bear the responsibility to evict squatters from their respective lands, while a “land-swap” method may be used on titled lands and the squatters relocated through offer of suitable lots or sites or house units.
This was disclosed by Deputy Chief Minister cum Local Government and Housing Minister, Datuk Dr Jaujan Haji Sambakong, who chaired the meeting, saying it is important for the new State Government to address the problem to stop it becoming widespread and create more socio-economic problems.ADVERTISEMENT
“The squatter problem in Sabah is getting serious and widespread, it is increasing instead of reducing. So it needs to be addressed now before they become socio-economic problems.
“The colonies are cramped and in disorderly manner, and great fire risk.
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The squatter colonies also caused losses to government agencies through electricity and water thefts,” he said, adding the existing and impending problems associated with squatter colonies have prompted the new State Government to re-activate the said committee set up long ago but inactive.
He said the main committee, which will be supported by a technical committee, will also be set up at the district-level and be chaired by the district officer to provide data on squatters in the each of the districts.
Asked on the status of the squatters, Jaujan said all squatters in identified squatter colonies possess an identity card (IC). If there are foreigners action will be taken accordingly.
“They are locals who live in a disorderly living area, which are yet to be gazetted as a village. Some of these colonies also have a village community management committee (MPKK) and a village head which conflicted with the existing laws...we need to look at this and sort it out,” he said.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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On the previously reported on effort to gazette squatter colonies as a villages, Jaujan said they are 100 which are still in the process.
“In our data there are already 100 places, we called them yet to be gazetted villages and not squatters, which are in the process to be gazetted as a village. These are inhabited by local people,” he said.