Squatters told to vacate land reserve in Keningau
Published on: Tuesday, July 06, 2021
By: Sidney Skinner
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.jpg "Squatters told to vacate land reserve in Keningau")
Houses are seen coming up on this state land, near Kg Ria, in Keningau.
Land reclamation work was spotted on the property as early as April this year.
“The encroachers will be given a grace-period to move off the land. If they fail to comply then legal proceedings will be initiated. “We will co-ordinate our efforts with the other authorities, including the District Council, the Police, the Immigration Department, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd and the Water Department.” The spokesman was responding to a Keningau resident’s misgivings about what was transpiring on an empty land near Kg Ria. He noticed that houses had been mushrooming on the property over the past few months. The individual suspected that they might have been constructed illegally as he had heard that the land belonged to the government. He related his concerns in a letter to Hotline which was forwarded to the LSD and Council. The Department spokesman said it was authorised, under the Land Ordinance, to have the occupants removed from the land. “The local authorities have to step in to dismantle any illegal structures, including houses, which have been put up,” he said. “Demolition notices can be issued under the Council’s Building Bylaws.”
City Hall officers photograph an illegal dump which has formed on Jalan Pinggir.
A Council spokesman said it would work together with the LSD to crack-down on the encroachment taking place on the property. “We are aware that there are persons living illegally here,” he said. “This problem has been brought to the attention of the ‘Jawatankuasa Setinggan Daerah’ (District Squatter Committee).” He said the Committee, which is chaired by the District Officer, most recently convened in April. “The squatter problems here are going to be tackled in stages, with the initial efforts focusing on colonies that have sprung up near the airport and hospital.” ADAM of Keningau said reclamation work began taking place on the land as early as April. “Groups of people were seen clearing, filling and levelling the area,” he said, adding that houses were subsequently erected on the property. “I was made to understand that this land has been set aside for the town abattoir.” He wanted to know whether the local authorities had since given up on this plan. “Has the reserve been revoked and alienated to private owners? “If not, it is unfair to those who hold legal land titles. We have to pay assessment to the LSD and rates to the Council.” Adam hoped the agency would intervene, if the plan for the slaughter-house was still proceeding. “Council officers should immediately put a stop to any construction work taking place here and call on the encroachers to vacate the area.”
Evidence of open-burning was also found along the road near the Istana.
Meanwhile, City Hall is monitoring the goings-on at a section of Jalan Pinggir, near the Istana, to ensure that garbage is not being burnt in the open and no illegal dumps spring up along the road. A spokesman for the agency said its Enforcement personnel confirmed that rubbish was being haphazardly thrown near some houses, located off the stretch. He said they also found evidence that the garbage was being incinerated in the area. “Our officers met with some of those living here, none of whom owned up to burning their waste,” he said. “No compounds were issued during this inspection. Nevertheless, we will continue to keep an eye on this area in the hopes of nabbing the culprits red-handed.” Under the City Hall’s Anti-Litter Bylaws, those caught haphazardly disposing of their waste can be compounded between RM100-500. In extreme cases, they could be brought to court where they risk having to pay a maximum fine of RM5, 000. CHRIS of Likas suspected that the houses in question might be part of a squatter colony. “This would explain the presence of the garbage strewn about the road as the occupants would not have paid City Hall to collect their rubbish,” he said. “The inconsiderate actions of the litter-bugs lowers any prestige one may feel about being near the ‘Istana’.” He said he had shared his observations with City Hall several times this year. “So far, the houses have yet to be torn down and more illegal dumps have sprung up along the road.” A City Hall spokeswoman said the agency was aware of the presence of the squatters in this part of Jalan Pinggir. “We have referred this matter to the Government and are awaiting the advice from the relevant Department on how to deal with the squatters,” she said. In the meantime, she said the agency would keep up its surveillance of the area. “This is the most we can do, for the time being, as we are slowing down on demolition efforts due to the pandemic.
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