3,000 Labuan villagers in limbo as eviction begins

 

Some 3,000 villagers in Kampung Gersik, Labuan are being evicted from their homes, after being served a notice by the Majlis Ugama Islam Sabah (Muis).

Residents have told Malaysiakini that they fear a situation in which their dwellings are razed but they have nowhere to go for shelter.

However, Labuan MP Suhaili Abdul Rahman told Malaysiakini that he would be visiting the site tomorrow and that contrary to claims of the villagers, there were a substantial number of undocumented migrants living in the area.

"They have been given ample advance notice, and we are not going to turn them out without shelter. This is a long-standing issue of illegal settlement on MUIS land," said Suhaili, adding that he will issue a further statement after his visit.

According to the chairperson of the villagers action committee Omar Abbang, the evictions began at around 7am today when a multi-agency force of more than 20 officers descended upon the village.

“They included officers from the police, Immigration Department, Sabah Electricity Board, Perbadanan Labuan, Jabatan Bekalan Air Labuan, the Land Office, and Muis itself,” claimed Omar who shared photographs and videos of the eviction with Malaysiakini.

He said that while the officers were going about their work politely, the implications of the actions were catastrophic for those who were living there.

“They are destroying our houses. When I asked them where they expected us to go, the Muis representative just said he does not know,” claimed Omar.

Items in makeshift storage space.

Malaysiakini wrote to Muis and was informed that the questions were forwarded to the person in charge, but no further response has been forthcoming.

Omar told Malaysiakini yesterday that they received the notice from Muis six months ago, but attempts to engage the council and political leaders including Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor and Suhaili over the eviction have failed.

In the notice dated May 22 and sighted by Malaysiakini, the residents of two lots in Kampung Gersik totalling a land area of 14 hectares were told the land they are staying on is registered to Muis and they must vacate the premises within six months.

“We have stayed in this area for generations. Most of us here are fisherfolk, labourers, and welfare recipients.

“I would say that 95 percent of us hold Malaysian citizenship, so why is no one responding?” asked Omar yesterday, adding that some of the villagers were also recipients of aid from the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council. - Mkini