A COMPREHENSIVE approach centred on education, skills development and social wellbeing is needed to address issues involving the Pala’u community in Lahad Datu for the benefit of local residents and the state’s overall development.
Silam assemblyman Datuk Dr Mohd Yusof Apdal said the debate on the 2026 Supplementary Supply Bill should not focus only on budget allocations but also on the social realities still faced by people in Sabah’s east coast.
He said socio-economic and humanitarian issues linked to the community had remained an unresolved problem in the area for many years.
“I cannot ignore the issues involving the Pala’u community, homelessness, drug abuse and children living in hardship, inhaling glue at traffic lights and begging on the streets, as these are matters that should have received focused attention long ago,” he said.
Yusof said additional funding requested by the Lahad Datu District Office and the Sabah Ministry of Local Government and Housing should be followed by clear and effective action at the grassroots level.
He said the challenges faced by the Pala’u community were closely linked to social wellbeing, security and the state’s development, requiring a structured and long-term action plan.
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“We can no longer rely on ad hoc or seasonal measures. We need a lasting, practical and comprehensive solution, not only to improve the welfare of this community but, more importantly, to safeguard harmony, security and economic opportunities for the people of Lahad Datu and Sabah as a whole,” he said.
Yusof said education should be the foundation of change through the establishment of transition schools or literacy hubs in partnership with non-governmental organisations and federal agencies.
He said the initiative would create better opportunities for children from the Pala’u community while helping to build a cleaner, safer and more welcoming urban environment.
“The initial focus of these schools should not be mainstream academic examinations but basic literacy and numeracy, together with civic education and community values.
“In my view, this will help prevent Pala’u children from wandering the streets of Lahad Datu to beg, while improving cleanliness, safety and the quality of public spaces for local residents,” he said.
Yusof also proposed industry-based micro TVET programmes in the maritime sector, modern fisheries, aquaculture and traditional crafts to build on the community’s existing skills in seafaring and boat building.
He said the training could produce a skilled local workforce to meet the needs of Sabah’s commercial aquaculture and maritime tourism sectors on the east coast.
He also called for the introduction of a centralised digital profiling system and comprehensive biometric registration for the Pala’u community in Lahad Datu’s coastal areas to support more effective policy planning.
“Data sharing with Esscom and the Immigration Department would help distinguish the traditional local Bajau Laut community from illegal immigrants, while strengthening border security management in a more systematic way,” he said.
At the same time, he proposed a planned relocation programme through the development of organised water villages or special coastal zones equipped with basic facilities and mobile health services.
He said such facilities would improve healthcare and sanitation, protect the marine environment and support local tourism and fisheries.
On drug abuse and glue sniffing, Yusof proposed the establishment of a Special Coastal Community Intervention and Rehabilitation Centre using nature-based therapy and marine activities to support rehabilitation.
He said the approach would suit the community’s way of life, as many spent most of their lives at sea, while helping them build more productive futures.
He also called for the immediate formation of a Coastal Homeless Task Force comprising the Lahad Datu District Council, the Social Welfare Department, the National Anti-Drug Agency and leaders from the Bajau Laut community.
“The task force would conduct regular patrols in hotspots to rescue children found under the influence of inhalants and take them directly to intervention centres,” he said.
Yusof added that close cooperation between government agencies and the community would be essential in developing sustainable solutions to improve the wellbeing of the Pala’u community while strengthening harmony and supporting Lahad Datu’s future development.
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