LANGKAWI – The Kedah government’s proposal to relocate some 2,500 families in the Bukit Malut special security zone will incur a big cost, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Dr Mahathir, who is Langkawi MP, said that he has been closely following the developments on the proposed resettlement of the villagers in Bukit Malut.
They comprise descendants from the first wave of refugees from Myanmar in the 1970s, including Rohingya.
Malaysia allowed them to resettle in Bukit Malut with the help of the United Nations where a special security zone was allotted for the community, most of whom are fishermen and traders.
“Technically they have been living there long before the island was transformed into a premier tourism destination.
“The issue has lingered on for a long time, even when I was the prime minister,” Mahathir said in a blog post.
The solution requires the action of a proactive federal government because part of the problem is the fact that it falls under the jurisdiction of multiple federal agencies, said Dr Mahathir.
The costs to relocate will involve a big allocation and it can only be done with financial help from the federal government, he added.
“The state government of Kedah cannot afford to provide a significant amount to resettle them, but they need to play a role in areas where state-level powers are needed,” said Dr Mahathir.
Kedah Mentri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor hoped that the resettlement can begin now after the state, which owns the land, approved plans for the redevelopment of the scenic enclave.
Earlier, Malaysian Nature Society Langkawi chapter chairman Eric R. Sinnaya, who has long pointed out the lack of proper sewerage and sanitary facilities for the community, asked the state government to ensure that there are proper social amenities when they relocate the community.
He believed that the community has adapted well in Langkawi, with many of them working in the hospitality sector as well as in providing services for tourism, which is the main economic driver for the island resort. – The Vibes, March 12, 2021
