SABAH has instructed its local governments to come up with strategies to deal with the squatter problems to drastically reduce its numbers by the end of 2025.
Sabah Deputy Chief Minister II Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam said the Sabah central committee dealing with squatters has identified a total of 285 squatters statewide, involving 33,566 houses, with a population of 130,397 individuals.
He said only Tuaran, Kota Belud and Ranau are without squatter settlements while directing local governments to undertake a study on housing needs and look out for land suitable to build more government-aid houses.
“I want to see more local governments adopting the zero squatter policy. Districts with the most colonies must show a reduction in the number of colonies before the end of 2025,” said Gunsalam who is also Sabah’s Local Government and Housing Minister and also chair of the committee.
Gunsalam said this during a local government and housing ministry function held in Kota Kinabalu today.
Unlike Sarawak, which set a clear target of achieving zero squatter status by 2025, Sabah has not established a specific deadline for the same objective.
For decades, squatter colonies in Sabah have been associated with crime and drug-related issues, and as havens for illegal immigrants.
Claims have also surfaced that inhabitants of these colonies have been instrumental as secret vote banks for state politicians.
Sabah police commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun meanwhile hinted at an imminent crackdown against undocumented migrants, where he has set targets in squatter colonies where most of them are presently hiding out.
“The time has come for us to work with other departments for this operation. We have made preparations for the operational actions,” he said.
However, Jauteh noted there are a total of 538 squatter colonies in Sabah, contrary to the state committee’s 285 colonies.
Data issued by the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) meanwhile noted there are 543 squatter settlements in Sabah and Labuan, with 140,000 illegal immigrants.
Among these economic migrants, over 90,000 are Filipinos, 45,000 Indonesians, and 5,000 hail from various other regions, including South Asia.
The town of Lahad Datu takes the lead with 130 such settlements, closely followed by Beluran with 96, Keningau with 48, and Papar with 39, said ESSCom.
Other areas, including Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran, Sandakan, Penampang, Kota Belud, Semporna, Kudat, Kinabatangan, Tawau, Ranau, Sipitang, Kunak, Tenom, Labuan, Kota Marudu, and Beaufort, are also grappling with the same challenges.
Esscom's data however does not encompass the various registered housing units and private land also believed to be rented out to illegal immigrants. - The Vibes, March 9, 2024
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