KOTA KINABALU, The Sabah Main Committee on Squatters has identified 285 squatter colonies throughout the state, involving 33,566 houses and 130,397 residents, said Deputy Chief Minister II Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam. Dr Joachim, who is also the committee chairman, said only three out of 27 districts, namely Ranau, Kota Belud and Tuaran do not have squatter colonies, and as such, he suggested that each district should have a plan to deal with the issue. The state Local Government and Housing Minister said all local authorities (PBTs) were instructed to conduct a housing needs study as well as identify and list available land for the development of the People's Housing Programme (PPR). 'I would like to see more districts or PBTs with zero squatter colonies. Those with many squatter colonies should achieve a significant reduction by the end of 2025,' he said in a statement today. He also urged all PBTs to strengthen their services to their respective residents and take proactive steps to address issues such as cleanliness that require immediate attention, rather than just waiting for a cleaning concession to be appointed. Dr Joachim said he frequently received public complaints regarding cleanliness and streetlights that do not function at night. Hence, proactive measures need to be taken to address these issues before complaints are filed. He also initiated visits to PBTs in Sabah, having so far visited the district councils in Tenom, Nabawan, Keningau and Tambunan, and found that the problems faced by the respective PBTs were quite similar. Some of the problems identified are financial and manpower shortages, as well as poorly maintained public facilities. 'I reminded the presidents and executive officers that PBTs should strive for financial independence rather than solely relying on government assistance. All PBTs should try to generate income and avoid wastage and leakage. 'Additionally, they should have a priority list of development projects according to the urgent needs of their respective area s and not based on requests from external parties. The cleanliness of PBT areas should always be maintained,' he said. Source: BERNAMA News Agency
