I have concured with the Tawau Municipal Council (MPT)’s announcement that no rebuilding of houses are allowed on the fire site of the water village, Kampung Hidayat, Mile 4, Jalan Apas . Instead rebuilding, I call for relocation of the refugee settlement schemes.
What had happened to Kampung Hidayat today is the consequences of no planning by the government on how to handle the complicated refugee settlement issue.
I still remember what has been said by the Special Functions Minister Datuk Teo Chee Kang in state assembly sitting last November, that the state government would propose to the federal government to relocate the refugee settlement schemes to other better and suitable location. What is the status now? Before any relocation taken, part of Kampung Hidayat was burnt down.
There are five refugee settlement schemes in Sabah, i.e. Telipok, Kinarut, Kampung Bahagia Sandakan, Kampung Selamat Semporna and Kampung Hidayat Tawau.
Kampung Hidayat was a 14 hectare Filipino refugee settlement, and 6.5 hectares were razed in the fire on last Saturday. From the latest registration completed, it was found that from the total number of victims, 1960, 1141 (170 house hold heads) were Malaysians and 819 (91 household heads) were foreigners.
According to MPT’s president, Alijus Sipil, more than 30% of the villagers involved in the incident were foreigners, and the houses were not legally registered under Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd for electrical connection, and similarly, only 30 houses were registered under the Water Work for water supply.
I don’t understand why there were Malaysians living in a Filipino refugee settlement, not paying for any utilities but yet can enjoy it. How can it happen? Do we have no enforcement for years?
I hope that MPT could take actions professionally to restrict any rebuilding of houses on the fire site, and no political interference in this affair.
I warn those tend to oppose against the rebuilding ban, don’t look at your own political interest, but look at Sabahan’s best interest.