Arshad (front, fourth left) and Nerudin to his right with some of the residents at the press conference.
KOTA KINABALU (Oct 28): A hundred and fifty-five settlers from Kampung Teluk Layang, Likas will be relocated to a new permanent settlement by year end.
The Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) had issued a notice on October 18, urging them to vacate their old ungazetted squatter settlement which falls under the State Legislative Assembly building area near Likas.
Karambunai Community Development Leader Unit (UPPM) head Nerudin Ludah said a recent census had confirmed that 155 of the residents at the village possessed MyKad, while 42 hold birth certificates and the remaining do not have any official documentation.
Nerudin said only Malaysian citizens would be allowed to build homes in the new settlement, while the rest will be referred to the National Security Council for further action, adding that the census had also recorded 63 households at the squatter settlement.
He said the new Kampung Teluk Layang Baru permanent settlement, which covers 12 acres and has already been gazetted, is located behind Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
Most of the residents have volunteered to relocate, but a six-month extension had been requested to make way for boundary setting works by the Land and Surveys Department (JTU) and for DBKK to issue relocation documents for the eligible settlers.
The above matters are expected to be settled by November this year before they are able to move.
Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) Karambunai chief Datuk Arshad Idris said he is grateful that most of the residents had volunteered to relocate, as the authorities would then be able to channel basic amenities such as water, electricity and road access in the new gazetted settlement.
Arshad said the swift action taken by the State Government in resolving the matter disproved any notion that they had heartlessly urged the residents to move, as claimed on social media.
“The State Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has always prioritised the welfare of Sabahans and has never acted unfair to people of the state.
“As leaders of the people, UPPM and Gagasan Rakyat will continue our commitment to protect the rakyat’s interests,” he told a press conference at the Gagasan Rakyat Karambunai office here on Monday.
