KOTA KINABALU – The number of Bajau Laut, or Palauh, people in Sembulan seems to have doubled, giving rise to questions on their ability to cross borders and pass through roadblocks during the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown.
Members of the community, also known as “sea gypsies”, are seen loitering in the streets, begging for alms.
Though the authorities have been informed of their presence, no action has been taken.
Residents said the Palauh have established a small settlement in Kg Sembulan Lama, and that their presence is now more widely known following a report by The Vibes last week.
Kota Kinabalu City Hall, when contacted, acknowledged the community’s presence in Sembulan, but has yet to take action against them.
The Palauh spend most of their lives on sampans, and are stateless. The concept of territorial borders, too, is foreign to them.
It cannot be ascertained just how they have been making their way to Sembulan amid the various restrictions imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Most of them, however, said the same thing: they arrived here about three months ago from Sabah’s easternmost district of Semporna, taking a bus ride that cost RM40, after losing their jobs.
Instead of securing employment here, they have found themselves forced to beg for money – including the children among the community, who can be seen tapping on the windows of vehicles that stop at traffic lights, hoping to get drivers to give them spare change.
Most of the Palauh do not speak Bahasa Malaysia, nor have they received a proper education.
Meanwhile, bus drivers commuting between Semporna and here confirmed having transported many Palauh travelling in groups, with the vehicles carrying passengers beyond capacity at times.
That they are able to cross borders and pass through roadblocks when they lack identification documents remains a mystery.
The journey from Semporna to Kota Kinabalu, via Tawau and Keningau, takes about nine hours.
The Palauh have also been spotted being dropped off in the city by a van in the wee hours.
“The van was seen around 5am or 6am,” said a resident.
Photos of the Palauh have gone viral, sparking outrage among netizens over the government’s seemingly lackadaisical attitude when it comes to handling cases of stateless individuals. – The Vibes, March 3, 2021
Additional reporting by Jason Santos
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