SANDAKAN – A marine police officer stationed in Semporna has revealed that the Bajau Laut settlement in the area is not only inhabited by the indigenous community but also by illegal immigrants. This area has allegedly become a haven for cross-border criminals and drug traffickers.
Herman Majinji, speaking in his personal capacity, wrote a Facebook post attempting to shed light on the true situation in Semporna.
Herman, who was previously noted in the news for distributing food to the Bajau Laut community during the 2020 movement control order, said that the structures recently demolished were initially occupied by the Bajau Laut community. Over the years, the number of occupants grew, and illegal immigrants began living in these areas, which were rarely subjected to raids.
“In recent years, the squatter settlement has become a transit hiding place for drug distributors and cross-border criminals. Some bodies have received complaints about the occupants being rude to tourists, tarnishing our tourism sector’s image,” he said.
Recently, a Facebook user, Tzu Wong, posted videos showing Bajau Laut houses being torn down and burned during an enforcement operation targeting illegal structures in the Tun Sakaran Marine Park on June 4. These videos sparked public criticism, with human rights lawyers Rajesh Nagarajan and Sachpreetraj Singh calling the authorities’ actions “barbaric”.
Herman mentioned that the videos were heavily criticised, with some people wishing ill upon the security personnel involved.
“I want to clarify that certain irresponsible parties brought some Bajau Laut people to the scene to garner sympathy,” he said, noting that the houses demolished were empty for at least a month before the operation.
The Sabah Parks’ integrated demolition activity involved seven islands in Semporna: Bodgaya, Bohey Dulang, Maiga, Selakan, Tatagan, Sibangkat, and Sibuan.
Herman explained that multiple notices were issued to the affected houses before the demolition, including one a month prior.
“Some residents refused to leave and even torched their own houses to gain sympathy from NGOs and the public, portraying the demolition as a cruel act. The truth is, the eviction notice was distributed, and the houses were already empty,” he said.
Herman opined that Sabah Parks faced challenges in developing islands under its care as well as privately owned islands, which hindered the tourism sector’s growth.
“I hope my explanation answers the questions of netizens, especially those from Semporna,” he said.
Yesterday, Sabah Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew claimed that the viral videos of burning Bajau Laut homes during the eviction were intended to garner public sympathy.
She confirmed that 138 illegal houses were demolished between June 4 and June 6.
The Bajau Laut, locally known as the Palauh or sea gipsies, are sea-faring nomads who traditionally live on boats. They fled to Sabah in the 1970s to escape the war in the Philippines and now reside mainly in Semporna, Tawau, and Lahad Datu, relying on marine catch for survival.
A tourism operator in Semporna, who wished to remain anonymous, told Scoop that the illegal structures are now occupied by a mix of the Palauh community and illegal immigrants. He expressed concerns about the potential for these communities to be used for smuggling weapons from the Philippines.
“We do not agree with the enforcement personnel’s methods, such as burning the Bajau Laut community’s houses. This situation results from the government ignoring their existence for decades. Now, the government must develop a thorough plan to address this issue,” he said. – June 8, 2024