Kota Kinabalu: Mayor Datuk Dr Sabin Samitah said both City Hall and the Lands and Survey Department issued eviction notices to people residing on 105 land lots in the water village of Kg Sembulan Tengah after finding out that they were not the original landowners of the expired leases.
He said the notices issued are routine actions to enforce the law relating to settlements built without approval on government land and regarding sanitation.
It is the only squatter settlement that is a stone’s throw from the city centre. The other are shanties hugging Signal Hill not far from the Governor’s official residence.
“Based on inspection records, most of the land lots (in Sembulan Tengah) are occupied by tenants and not by the original owners who have expired their leases.
“There are also houses built without the permission of the original owner,” he said.
The rickety homes that still remain.
Hence, the planned demolition scheduled in two weeks from Sept. 19 has been postponed pending a meeting with the original owners of the land lots on Oct. 8,” Dr Sabin said.
The two notices were raised at a dialogue with the affected residents of Kg Sembulan Tengah at a multipurpose hall in Sembulan on Saturday (Sept 21).
Dr Sabin said City Hall would continue to enforce the law together with other enforcement agencies to ensure that cleanliness and safety are always maintained.
Dr Sabin also said the Urban Community Sustainability Programme – Prosperous Community: CyCLEAN (Cycling and Clean) 2024 can ensure cleanliness in urban areas is at a high level.
He said the program between City Hall and the Housing and Local Government Ministry involved the community, especially those living in nearby areas.
“Today, 520 took part in the cycling event to Tanjung Aru and also the community clean-up event around this area.
“This programme is to ensure cleanliness in this area is always at a high level, especially when it involves animals such as rats, cockroaches and so on. This is also to ensure that ditches and drains are always in good condition and is also in line with one of the initiatives under the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
“In addition to ensuring the cleanliness of the urban area, it can also strengthen the relationship between government departments such as DBKK and federal agencies with the community here.
“The DBKK is proud of the cooperation given by the local people because they support efforts to ensure that the level of cleanliness in this city and also on the coast increases and indeed there is an improvement especially in land and urban areas,” he said when met by the media before the release of cycling participants for the program at Padang Merdeka here, on Sunday.
In addition to the main event, which is an 11-kilometer leisurely cycling event while collecting garbage, was also a safety, health and environmental exhibition, a Rahmah Sale and a colouring competition for children and the elderly.
