LABUAN, Nov 28 — The Sabah Islamic Religious Council (Muis) has taken decisive action, demolishing 67 illegal structures on its 13.9721-hectare land in Kampung Gersik/Saguking that had been vacated by occupants.

Muis, acting as the landlord, issued a six-month notice starting from May 22, compelling occupants to vacate the premises for a mixed development project.

Muis principal assistant secretary (Investment) Putera Aliif Al’ain Jasni said the extensive demolition commenced yesterday with a specific focus on houses without occupants.

Responding to the request of MP Labuan Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman, who sought a three-month postponement for the demolition of houses still occupied, Putera Aliif emphasised the importance of respecting such requests.

“Residents granted this extra three-month opportunity by Muis should seize the chance to secure a new placement before the impending deadline on February 28, 2024,” he told Bernama today.

He clarified that Muis had not issued a new directive to evict occupants still residing on the land.

Putera Aliif outlined the demolition plan, noting that it would be carried out in three zones, primarily focusing on zones two and three.

“We have to use an excavator to tear down illegal structures and perform manual demolition on houses that cannot be accessed by the excavator,” he said.

He said through a comprehensive census, Muis identified a total of 550 illegal structures, and of the number, there are 479 houses occupied by 2,656 people that would be affected by the demolition.

“According to our census, 54 per cent are non-Malaysian citizens, while the remaining 46 per cent are Malaysian citizens,” Putera Aliif said.

He said the demolition of unoccupied houses would persist today.

In response to the concerns of the affected populace, the Labuan MP engaged with nearly 1,000 affected individuals on November 25, advocating for a more favourable solution.

Following negotiations with the landlord, Suhaili secured an extension until February 28, 2024, allowing affected residents more time to find alternative housing solutions. — Bernama