LABUAN: Residents of Kg Tanjung Aru here urged the Government to purchase a plot of land owned by two Bruneians, as it includes half of the football field in the village.
The village chief, Hj Sulong Omar, told The Borneo Post that half of the football field or 0.66 acres therefore belongs to the Bruneians.
“I am asking the Government to purchase this land before the owners build their houses on the football field which is the only place for our youths to gather for sports,” he said.
“One of the owners told us that he was ready to sell the land to any buyer and he has given us some time to find the buyer,” he said, adding that the owner had also made it known that he might build his house on the land if they could not buy it.
The other Bruneian who shares the 0.66 acres has however not decided on whether he is prepared to sell the land too.
The deputy chairman of the village committee, Harun bin Damit, said the football field has existed for more than 50 years and is an important facility in the village, as the youths are using it daily.
Even government programmes such as the Juara Rakyat were carried out on the field, he added.
“I hope the Government will help the villagers in line with its current policy which is putting the people first,” he said.
Harun said the village committee had submitted the proposal to Labuan Corporation Advisory Council Chairman Datuk Yunus Kurus and Labuan MP Datuk Yussof Mahal.
“The majority of the villagers here are Barisan Nasional (BN) supporters and we are afraid that if no action is taken by the Government, its performance in the next general election will be affected,” he said.
The village has around 1,989 residents, half of whom are youths.
Meanwhile, Tanjung Aru Umno chief Yahya Hj Bakri joined Sulong and Harun to make the appeal to the Government at the football field on Saturday.