More than 500 people from the Bajau Laut, a mostly stateless
sea-faring community who live on rickety houseboats or coastal
huts built on stilts, saw their homes demolished or burned by
enforcement officials this week, local activists have said.
The operation in Sabah's Semporna district was criticized by
rights groups, which called on the government to halt the
evictions and ensure the safety and protection of the Bajau Laut.
Sabah's minister of tourism, culture and environment Christina
Liew said authorities were empowered to act against illegal
activities, such as fishing, building structures and farming
without permission, in protected areas controlled by Sabah
Parks, a state conservation agency.
"The sovereignty of the country's laws in this issue must be
upheld," she said in a statement on Friday.
Liew said evacuation notices were sent to 273 unauthorized
settlements last month, with 138 structures demolished between
Tuesday and Thursday in "hot spots" around the Tun Sakaran
Marine Park, a tourism attraction known for its diving spots.
Citing police sources, Liew alleged that some homeowners had
burned their own houses to gain sympathy and go viral on social
media.
The operation was carried out taking into account security
factors, including cross-border crime, she said. Semporna lies
on the north-eastern tip of Borneo, bordering the southern
Philippines.
The Bajau Laut have been recorded living in the area for
centuries, but many are born without nationality documents and
are regarded by authorities as migrants.
Rights group Pusat Komas called on the state to provide
alternative homes and address documentation issues to ensure the
Bajau Laut received fair treatment and access to essential
services.
"Their forced removal raises serious questions about the
equitable treatment of ethnic minorities in Malaysia," the group
said.
(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Kim Coghill)
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