88 houses in mangroves demolished

0

SANDAKAN: A total of 88 wooden houses that were illegally built in a mangrove forest reserve here, were demolished during a three-day operation.

State Forestry Department (SFD) director Datuk Sam Mannan said the operation was held from May 26 to May 28 to expel illegal immigrants who had invaded the mangrove forest reserve, thus preventing the mangrove areas from becoming a hideout place for illegal immigrants.

Prior to the operation, Sam said a notice was given on April 7 to 314 houses comprising 1,468 dwellers in the mangrove forest reserve which is estimated at 15.3 hectares.

The areas involved were the Saling River, Tambaha (Timbang Island), Tandawan, Samaguan, Sekong Kecil, Inda Baru, Lansikan, Papahan, Tigowis, Lamiring, Tambaha, Payau River 1 to 6, Semangat Payau, Sungai Air/Telaga/Pupu Pelawan/ Jampiras 3 and Tabangka 1 to 3.

“Most of the dwellers demolished their houses and left voluntarily after receiving the notice.

“During a survey made by the Forest Department, together with the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) two days before the operation, we found that the number of houses had decreased to 212 houses with 1,008 dwellers from 314 houses with 1,468 dwellers,” he said.

In a statement to The Borneo Post yesterday, Sam also said from the 212 houses, 10 of the houses were owned by locals while 13 illegal immigrants were referred to the Immigration Department for further action.

In the operation, 30 new notices were issued by SFD for illegal immigrants to leave the area within a month, and 11 new notices for local dwellers to be out from the area within six months.

The operation was jointly carried out by 90 SFD staff, 55 enforcement officers from ESSCom and the police, 30 officers from the Marine Operations Force and General Task Force, 14 staff members of the Immigration Department, eight members from the Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency, and three members from the National Registration Department.