Villagers in ‘remote’ Sabah cry foul

Promises of piped water, electricity and roads by the Barisan Nasional leaders never came to villages in Sabah's rural interior, according to a community leader who came to Kota Kinabalu recently looking for work.

RANAU: Thousands of native villagers living along the 100km Ranau-Poring-Timbua-Karagasan dirt-road are crying foul over decades of neglect by the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

The poor villagers who have consistently voted for the BN in the past have no piped water, electricity or a tarred road.

And since the government announced petrol hike earlier this year, they have had to pay RM10 for a one way ride from their village in Melinsau to Ranau.

Disgruntled, the villagers in Melinsau, Timbua, Kaingaran and Karagasan are now demanding for these public amenities which were pledged to them in the past by the numerous visiting and elected BN leaders.

A community leader from Kampung Melinsau, one of three well known villages along this stretch, alleged that even the solar facilities given by the government about 10 years ago has broken down and has not been replaced.

“Solar electric was introduced to hundreds of Melinsau famlies back in 2002, but now more than half of the sets, especially the batteries, are broken down as they have exceeded their lifespan.

“Where will this poor people get money to pay for this basic electricity? Why can’t the BN government bring electricity to our kampungs after 47 years within Malaysia?” asked the leader who prefered to be called Peter.

Peter, who recently came to Kota Kinabalu in search of work, approached FMT to vent his frustration about conditions in his kampung.

He is fearful that his family would be victimised if word got out that he had spoken out of turn in the village.

According to Peter his community leaders are all afraid to voice out their plight believing that BN officials would be unhappy with them.

“There are thousands of families in many kampungs along this road. We have been a fix-deposit for BN but for how long?

“This area is one of the most neglected areas in Ranau especially the Christians-dominated kampungs.

“Why electricity is provided up to Kampung Timbua only? Is it because that kampung has a Muslim majority and many Umno members?

“Why the rest of our kampungs are sidelined? Please explain to me,” asked Peter, adding that the villagers in his kampung have been suffering in silence for years.

Less travelled

Melinsau, Timbua, Kaingaran and Karagasan are kampungs under the Kundasang state constituency which is currently represented by PBS-BN assemblyman Dr Joachim Gunsalam.

Kundasang is one of three state seats within the Ranau parliamentary constituency currently held by Siringan Gubat of Upko-BN.

Several primary schools and two secondary schools, SMK Timbua and SMK Ulu Sugut are located within the area that shares a border with Kota Marudu and Pitas on the other side of the Crocker Range.

Though considered densely-populated, it is a less travelled road by outsiders as the 100km semi-gravelled and earth road to Karagasan ends in a cul-de-sac.

The government has been mulling on plans to connect it to Kota Marudu via two proposed new roads, one linking the famous Hot Spring in Poring to Kota Marudu that passes through Kota Belud border, and another road in Upper Sugut that links it to Kota Marudu and Pitas, along old logging tracks.

Two of the remotest villages in this area are Kampung Kowian, which literally means ‘the end’ in English and Kampung Agan which is inhabited by the Dusunic Sungai sub-ethnic group. These villages are also found in Kaingaran. - FMT