KOTA KINABALU, Dec 19 — Sabah police have refuted allegations of eviction and mistreatment towards the widow of a slain cop from the 2013 Lahad Datu intrusion in Pulau Bodgaya, Semporna.
Sabah police commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun clarified that the house in Kampung Alab in question did not belong to the widow, Sitti Bandorah Mahalil, but to her father. She had not been residing there, instead living on the Semporna mainland, visiting the house occasionally.
Sitti Bandorah, 51, is the widow of Sergeant Abd Azis Sarikon, who was killed during the intrusion by self-styled Sulu militants in early 2013.
“The house belongs to their father, built in the 1980s, and is currently occupied by a younger sibling and their children. The individual mentioned actually resides on the mainland and owns several homes there,” Jauteh said.
“During the enforcement operation, no threats were made against this individual, and, importantly, the house in question was not demolished. What was demolished were several abandoned houses believed to belong to foreign nationals,” he explained during a press conference today.
Jauteh emphasised that authorities had consistently highlighted that any houses targeted during the operation had received notices as required by law, and no Malaysian-owned homes would be demolished.
“Of the 3,257 structures demolished under the ongoing Op Kolonis Setinggan, not a single Malaysian-owned house has been affected,” he stated.
“The house that was demolished was an unoccupied structure previously inhabited by undocumented migrants. The widow does not live there,” he added.
Jauteh noted that the Semporna acting district police chief had met with the family to clarify the situation. He explained that the widow only visited the area occasionally to see relatives.
“She said there might have been misunderstandings, possibly stemming from the location’s proximity to Sabah Parks’ jurisdiction. However, since the family has been there since the 1980s, we decided not to proceed with the demolition. She is also still receiving government support,” Jauteh said.
Jauteh criticised those who had “exploited” the issue, accusing them of manipulating it to undermine the authorities’ efforts to remove illegal squatter colonies in the Semporna district.
“It is important to note that the widow’s case was manipulated by certain parties. She has a child who is a senior police officer, which shows that some people are taking advantage of any issue to weaken enforcement efforts and disrupt the work being done to address illegal settlements,” Jauteh added.
He also mentioned a dispute concerning the land on which the home sits, which falls under the jurisdiction of Sabah Parks.
“There’s some dispute because some residents have built homes there since the 1980s. Addressing land-related concerns will be left to the state government and Sabah Parks,” he said.
Jauteh revealed that one police report had been filed in relation to the operation, and they would consider action against those manipulating the issue.
Jauteh’s clarification followed the viral spread of the issue on social media, which led to the perception that police were evicting or demolishing the widow’s home.
However, Sitti Bandorah also claimed that the officers involved were from the General Operations Force (GOF), the paramilitary division her late husband had served in. She alleged that some officers had been rude to her and her family when they refused to vacate the house, even scolding them for trying to take photos during the encounter.
“I was shouted at several times in front of my children. The officers even told me to shut up and just eat my breakfast. They also cut down my mango trees,” she was quoted as saying.
The ongoing operations by Sabah Parks and the authorities have faced widespread scrutiny, especially due to the involvement of the Bajau Laut community — a nomadic, seafaring group considered “illegal” due to their transient nature. They are not recognised citizens of any country, living on boats or stilt houses over water, and depend on the sea for their livelihood, with remarkable abilities to swim underwater for extended periods.
The Bajau Laut community has settled in makeshift homes around the islands of Semporna, a presence that has raised concerns, particularly due to its proximity to the Southern Philippines and the region’s popularity with tourists.
