SANDAKAN: The Sabah State Government is offering Batu Putih People’s Housing Project (PPR) units near here to about 180 residents of Kampung Tinusa 1 who have been forced to move from the village on a court order.
Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister of Sabah, Arifin Asgali said all parties, including the government, cannot defy the court order to vacate the 2.07-hectare village area.
“When there is a court order, the government cannot do anything. We have to adhere to the court order and you (villagers) will be transferred to the Batu Putih PPR. This is all the government can do,“ he said at a meeting with the villagers here today.
When met by reporters, Arifin said he would discuss with the lawyer, who was declared as the legitimate owner of the land, to postpone the demolition operation of the houses in the village, which was supposed to be carried out on Tuesday, as Batu Putih PPR is expected to be fully completed in March.
The villagers claimed that there was an overlapping of ownership claims over the village land, with the villages claiming it has native title (NT) status, while the land claimant claimed the land has country lease (CL) status.
However, after several appeals at court, the court’s decision was in favour of the land claimant. — Bernama
