Labuan settler lodges report over demolition
Published on: Sunday, March 10, 2024
By: Sohan Das
.jpg "Labuan settler lodges report over demolition")
A family at the settlement doing daily chores amidst the surrounding demolition.
LABUAN: A police report has been filed on the demolition of wooden houses at Kampong Gersik Baru, here, on March 4.
According to the report made on March 5 by a relative of a settler, the area where his father’s house was located was government reserve land and its occupation was approved by the Land Office.
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“It was wrongful for the Sabah Islamic Religious Council (Muis) to force eviction,” said the report, which called for an investigation.
A spokesman for the settlers, Omar Abang, said:
“We had earlier appealed to Muis to give us more time to find alternate houses with affordable rental and pleaded for compassion as the fasting month is due to start, but Muis resumed the demolition on March 4.”
The demolition saw a number of makeshift houses demolished, leaving about 20 more with 100 over dwellers.
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Omar said the settlers had also appealed to Member of Parliament Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman who had written to the Land Office with copies to three agencies, including Muis, that the settlers be given time to find alternative shelters.
“It’s regrettable that despite all these pleas, heartless action continued,” said Omar.
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The demolition of the illegal structures on land belonging to Muis began last November after issuing a six-month notice, starting on May 22, for the settlers to vacate. When the notice expired, action was taken with 67 of the structures removed.
Following appeals, the demolition was halted and a three-month grace period was granted for the remaining settlers to vacate.
This deadline expired end of last month and the demolition resumed.
The slum area posed a challenge to infrastructure planning and development.
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