WHERE IS THE CHIEF MINISTER?

SABAH Progressive Party (SAPP) is worried with many incidents of land mostly under Native Customary Rights (NCR) that belong to the people being taken away and given to big companies.

President Datuk Yong Teck Lee said that just as reason as last week about 160 houses that belonged to natives in Kota Marudu were bulldozed together with their crops.

“Where is the elected representatives of the area? Where is the leader, ministers and the Chief Minister? How could this happen in Sabah?” he asked.

Speaking at the breaking of fast ceremony at Kampung Cenderamata II near here Saturday, Yong said that in many similar cases the houses that were demolished were not built on squatter settlement but on NCR land.

He said Kampung Cenderamata II used to be a squatter settlement with houses built haphazardly but after the settlement was burnt down in a big fire afew years ago, the State government when he was the Chief Minister decided to reclaim the area and give land lots to the local to build houses.

“We discussed and decided to set aside a lot to build surau and lots for the people, not so big but enough for them to live comfortably. Now with the cooperation from all the residents, this village has expanded,” he said.

“The residents come from Kampung Likas, Petagas, Kota Belud and Bongawan but they decided to cooperate with one another irrespective of their ethnic races and origin so this is the SAPP spirit,” he said, adding that Kampung Cenderamata II had since been gazetted as a village reserve and protected under the law.

He believed that if a place like Kampung Cenderamata II caught fire there is a big possibility that the huge piece of land would be taken over by political leaders and be given to big companies.

He pointed to other squatter settlements in Sabah such as in Gum-Gum Sandakan, Sungai Burung in Lahad Datu, Serudong in Tawau and several other places many of the residents were being evicted.

“They were evicted not because to clear the area to build school, mosque, hospital or roads but so that they can give the priceless vacant land to big companies,” he said.

He noted another settlement called Kampung Lupak Meluas in Sandakan, which during his time as Chief Minister suffered similar fate with Kampung Cenderamata II.

However, he said Sandakan whose leader become a Chief Minister and non-stop deputy chief ministers, Kampung Lupak Meluas that is under Sekong state constituency and Batu Sapi Parliamentary constituency remained a squatter settlement until today and most of the people were being evicted.

“If I go to Sandakan, I will always be taken to that village and asked about many things and why the existing surau never been repaired,” he said.

In this respect, Yong reiterated that after the election, which he said might be in one year time from now, SAPP would return all these lands to the people.

He said SAPP only has two seats in Kota Kinabalu so in the next election SAPP intended to expand and contest in more than 40 seats in Sabah.

“I hope residents in Kampung Cenderamata II who are from other districts will be able to convey this message to their families and friends back in their hometown about SAPP,” he said.

Perhaps, he said in Karambunai and Sepanggar it might not be difficult for SAPP to win but “we want to win in many more places”.

He also advised the people to get their children who are eligible to vote to register with the Election Commission.

In Karambunai, he said there are 2,962 voters but at the same time there are about 800 eligible voters yet to register themselves.

“Perhaps today you are a member of Umno, Upko or others but in the coming election your heart stays with SAPP,” he said, noting that were some from other parties attending the SAPP gathering.

Meanwhile, the number of recipients of contribution from SAPP in conjunction with the Ramadan month in Kampung Cenderamata this year had increased to 1,596 from 1,490 last year.