Going getting tough for 15 families who fled village

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The temporary shelter Minda and her children are now staying in.

The temporary shelter Minda and her children are now staying in.

LAHAD DATU: The going is getting tough for 15 families who fled Kg Tanduo after their village was occupied by the Sulu armed group on Feb 9.

They are living hand to mouth in the homes of their relatives along the shores of Sulu Sea in Tanjung Labian and are pleading for foodstuff as no welfare aid has reached them for the past two weeks.

“Tiada bantuan, tiada beras, gula, garam and susu untuk anak (We got no help, no rice, sugar, salt and milk for my children),” said Minda Abu Samma who fled Kg Tanduo with 12 children and with only the clothes on their backs.

She and three of her extended families of about 20 receive help from the Tg Labian villagers who have been giving them vegetables, tapioca and papaya daily.

“Saya minta tolong orang kampung untuk bagi sikit sayur masak untuk anak (I always ask the villagers for vegetables to cook for my children),’’ said the 41-year-old Minda whose family occupied an abandoned stilt house which they patched up with attap roof,  as they waited to return to their Tanduo village occupied by the gunmen.

She said they left their homes with only their clothes and now were having problem getting food supplies, especially milk for their children.

Minda and her brother, Akasa Abu Samah, 34, said that apart from some rations given to them by General Operations Forces on the first few days, no other authority including the welfare or district office had come forward to provide assistance.

“We have enough food grown back in Tanduo. We don’t need any help if we can only go back, now,’’ said Minda who was grateful for the six bags of rice given to the families by The Star, Asia Times, Tawau Express and Umno Silam Division committee member, Aliandu Injil yesterday afternoon.

Aliandu (left) presenting bags of rice to a villager while Minda (standing in sarong) and some of her children look on.

Aliandu (left) presenting bags of rice to a villager while Minda (standing in sarong) and some of her children look on.

Minda and Akasa are among the 80 people from 15 families who fled to Tg Labian after the Sulu armed group led by Rajah Muda Azzimudie Kiram, the younger brother of Sultan Kiram, intruded into the village.

The Malaysian security forces have cordoned off Kg Tanduo in Felda Sahabat 17 since Feb 12 , keeping all the villagers out except for one elderly farmer identified as Pak Cik Umrah suffering from gout.

His wife, who is also ill , was the last to leave the village about fours days ago, seeking for medicine in Tg Labian but was unable to return to Tanduo due to security reasons.

She is now also staying with relatives in Tg Labian and her family members refused to talk to the media as they feared the authorities.

Relatives of the families said that many of them had also left identity documents behind in Kg Tanduo and were feeling the strain daily due to the ongoing standoff between the security forces and the Sulu group comprising more then hundred men.

The farmers and small holders who kept out of the 20km land and sea security ring have also been unable to enter their farms to tend or harvest their crops.

The standoff has also forced the closure of several schools for a week in Felda Sabahat area and even some outside the scheme such as SK Tungku about 30km away, as parents feared an impending firefight.