Tawau cleans out illegal settlements in demolition operation

TAWAU (March 20): The Tawau municipal council is sweeping down on illegal settlements by identifying and demolishing the shelters they built.

Jointly conducted by the police and the Tawau municipal council, a number of squatters at Kampung Titingan were issued notices to vacate yesterday. Also known as Kampung Ice Box, it houses more than 100 dwellings built without the approval from local authority.  

“Under the existing regulation, the municipal council has a jurisdiction to issue a seven-day notice before demolition work starts. However, in certain situation and under the request of police, the demolition work can be expedited (less than seven days),” Tawau municipal council president Alijus Sipil was quoted saying in the New Straits Times today.

“We want this operation to be effective and to avoid any untoward incident,” adding that the council would issue eviction notice to the occupants prior to the demolition.

“In this operation, we focus on houses built on water or any structure, which did not get approval from the municipal council. These structures are usually constructed by foreigners and tend to be used as drug nests.”

District police chief Assistant Commissioner Fadil Marsus said the operation is not restricted to the district but the whole of Sabah, to eradicate illegal settlements in the state.