Demolition of houses postponed till Sunday

Daily Express

23-05-2025

Published on: Friday, May 23, 2025
Published on: Fri, May 23, 2025
By: Nora Ahmad Text Size: Residents being comforted after witnessing their homes being demolished under a court order in Kg Jimpangah, Beaufort. Kota Kinabalu: The demolition of houses in Kg Jimpangah, Beaufort, which began on Wednesday, has been postponed until Sunday after residents refused to vacate their houses. According to Sabah Consumer Front Association (CFOS) Sec-Gen Hashima Hasbullah, the demolition was halted after the landowner agreed to grant residents until May 25 to vacate. 'The demolition work began at 10am on Wednesday and four houses were partially demolished. Hashima said there was also a letter from the Lands and Surveys Department (JTU) addressed to the landowner requesting a postponement of the process. 'A letter from the JTU Director was issued to request a delay in the eviction, accompanied by a letter from the Chief Minister's Office. 'However, whether the eviction is postponed or cancelled is entirely at the discretion of the landowner, as this involves a court order,' she said.
Advertisement It is understood that around 200 residents are facing eviction from land they have occupied for the past 80 years. A total of 53 houses are affected by the eviction order, involving approximately four hectares, following a court notice issued on May 7. Asked about the status of the land, Hashima clarified that it is classified as country lease (CL) land, which complicates the process. 'The land originally belonged to the British North Borneo Company since 1911 before it was transferred to a rubber company. The ancestors of the current residents worked and lived there. 'After independence, the residents were allowed to remain in the area. Eventually, they were supposed to apply for the land to be designated as a village settlement. 'Applications were submitted since 1991, but the residents in early 2024 were informed through court documents that the land now belongs to someone else,' she said. Beaufort Member of Parliament Datuk Siti Aminah Aching said she is working to arrange a meeting with the landowner. The former Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities said the meeting is part of her efforts to appeal to the landowner to extend the deadline for vacating the area. 'This issue deeply affects me as well because the residents involved are locals and voters in my constituency. 'I have tried from the beginning to engage with the relevant parties, but efforts have been unsuccessful until I received news that the residents would have to leave the land soon,' Siti Aminah said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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