SANDAKAN – It has been more than six months since the Sabah election, but over 100 families, who are victims of a blaze in Batu Sapi’s Kg Gas water village, are still living in container homes.
They are pleading for construction to begin on six bridges promised to them during the polls’ campaign, so that they can rebuild their houses.
The residents said they do not mind bearing the cost of rebuilding their homes on the same land, but pointed to the need for bridges to connect them to the main road, as the village is above water.
During a visit by The Vibes, villager Shaharun Siman said what is even more upsetting is that they have been promised the bridges multiple times.
“In September (during the election campaign), groups from different political parties visited us almost every day, showing their concern for our living conditions.
“They made all sorts of promises, including that the bridges would be constructed soonest.
“After the election, all of them are gone, including the winning candidate and party that is now part of the state government.
“Hello, we’re still here! We are still living in a small container that we are supposed to call our home, and we still don’t see the promised bridges in Kg Gas.”
In July 2018, over 200 families were given containers to live in – leading to the area being dubbed “Kg Container” – after their houses on a 0.8ha plot of land in Kg Gas were destroyed in a fire.
The then state government led by Parti Warisan Sabah arranged for 114 containers to be placed in the village’s open field to serve as “temporary” housing for the residents.
Almost three years on, nothing has changed.
Kg Container is located in the Sekong state constituency, which was won by Warisan’s Alias Sani in the state polls last September. He took the seat with a 1,599-vote majority against Hazulizah Mohd Dani of Umno.
The four other candidates vying for Sekong were from the United Sabah National Organisation, Liberal Democratic Party, Sabah People’s Unity Party and Parti Cinta Sabah.
Poor living conditions
In the run-up to the Sabah election, The Vibes reported on the living conditions of the affected villagers.
There are only eight toilets – that, too, with no water supply – for the more than 100 families there.
Aidah Jaujani said she, like all the other residents, wakes up early to collect water from a pipe a few metres away from the toilets. She carries the filled buckets back to the walkway in front of her container home, where she bathes in a sarong.
“It’s okay, I’m old now,” said the 55-year-old on bathing in public.
Marlina Liadim, 59, said she could not stand living in a container home, leading to her building a hut near the site where her house once stood.
She has been living in the hut since December last year.
“How could I possibly stand living there (in a container)? I thought it was temporary, but after one promise after another – that bridges will be constructed – did not come true, I decided to move out. I don’t mind that the hut is just temporary; at least, it is more comfortable.
“I am old. It’s not suitable for me to live in a container home for the long term. It gets really cold at night and really hot in the afternoon. Water leaks inside when it rains. I am glad I am out of that place.”
She was allocated two containers for her family of eight children and 16 grandchildren.
“I will just live in the hut while waiting for the bridges to be constructed.”
Whose fault is it?
According to Bajau Simunul Welfare and Culture Association’s former president Shamsul Kelana, the delay is believed to be due to the Sandakan Municipal Council’s (SMC) tardiness in appointing a contractor for the job.
“We were told by sources that the project to construct the bridges has been approved, and it is under the process of open tender. But, I don’t know how this tender could be opened for so long, and yet, SMC has not appointed a contractor.
“The people here deserve an answer from SMC.”
The issue can be resolved quickly if the government cares enough about it, he said.
He blames both the previous Pakatan Harapan and current Perikatan Nasional federal governments for the delay.
“Perhaps, if party leaders stayed in the container homes for a few nights to experience the situation the people here are facing, they would finally care enough to speed things up.
“Who else can the people here turn to if not the government? The villagers here, who are mostly fishermen and factory workers, cannot afford to build new bridges.
“A bridge is a basic need, like electricity and water, for the people here. The government should be responsible for providing these basic needs.”
The Vibes reached out to former SMC deputy president Hamsan Awang Supain, who is now Umno’s Sg Sibuga assemblyman and state housing and local government assistant minister, for comment.
He said he was involved in deciding the action to be taken with regard to the Kg Gas situation prior to his retirement from the local council last year, and has handed over all the details to his successor, Faridah Giau.
“As far as I’m concerned, there were two plans for the fire victims in Kg Gas. One was to reconstruct the bridges, and second, to relocate the villagers to PPRT (Hardcore Poor Housing Project).
“SMC measured the land there for the purpose of study and planning, but that is the last I know about it.”
The Vibes is awaiting responses from the relevant quarters, including Alias, who rescheduled an interview due to health reasons.
Faridah has yet to reply. – The Vibes, March 29, 2021
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