Occupying land next to Sutera Harbour since WWII, water villagers in KK city centre ‘beg’ Sabah CM to revoke eviction order, gazette area for ‘Bumiputera Malay’

KOTA KINABALU, Sept 21 — The residents of Kampung Sembulan Lama in the city centre are appealing to the state government to allow them to stay on at the water village.

They received notices on September 19 to move out within 14 days to allow the demolition of the 3.5-acre village for the development of an urban renewal scheme next to Sutera Avenue.

Chairman of the Kampung Sembulan Lama Residents and Welfare Association, Osman Omar Khan, said that it is cruel to order the residents from 200 households to vacate.

“We want the government to acknowledge that this land belongs to the people. We agree to development, but it should be a win-win situation between the government and landowners,” he said.

“The government does not care about the people.

“I urge the Chief Minister, being the highest authority in Sabah, to study, listen and revoke the notice to demolish in 14 days,” he said a press conference on Friday.

Osman said they were aware that their ancestral land, which their families have occupied since World War II, was earmarked for the Sembulan Urban Renewal Scheme.

The eviction notices were hand-delivered by representatives from the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) and the Land and Survey Department, he alleged.

Osman also claimed that the authority did not hold discussion with the villagers prior to the notice.

He also alleged that they met with Sabah State Secretary Datuk Safar Untong last month and claimed that the latter had informed him the scheme was not going through.

However, at the same time, they were also informed by the Kota Kinabalu City Hall that the scheme was going to be continued.

Osman urged the Chief Minister to intervene and said that three generations have stayed at the village.

He also informed that for many years, the land owners have not been able to pay their land premium as it was frozen by the government.

“The excuse given by the government was that the area has been earmarked for development,” he said.

“So we can only beg. Today, we plead that we are respected as humans,” he said.

Osman added that they have already submitted 14 memorandums to the relevant authority.

He added that they will be meeting with the Kota Kinabalu City Hall on September 21 at the community hall of the village.

“We hope the outcome will be to revoke the eviction notice; to re-instate the land premium payment and allow the land owners to make payments; and the 3.5 acres gazetted as a Bumiputera Malay village in the city,” he said.

Osman also mentioned that most of the villagers are not well-to-do and are fishermen. They are not eligible for the Prosperous People’s Housing Programme.

In June, the Sabah Cabinet approved a revised version of the Sembulan Urban Renewal Scheme.

Hajiji was reported to have said landowners would be allowed to stay once development is completed, with agreed monetary compensation. The details of the compensation remain vague. — The Borneo Post