SANDAKAN – Police have refuted claims that they set fire to a squatter settlement near Kg Kalansanan Inanam, Kota Kinabalu today, saying they were only there to conduct an operation.
Kota Kinabalu district police chief Kasim Muda said that the fire, which destroyed 26 houses, was believed to have been caused by a short circuit, and that authorities were not there to destroy the homes.
“The videos circulating online suggesting that the police ignited the fire are false. We have spoken with the villagers to clarify that our purpose was to conduct an operation, not to burn their homes,” he said.
Kasim added that police officers were approximately 50m to 60m away from the fire’s origin, making it unlikely that they were responsible for the incident.
The Fire and Rescue Department received a distress call at 12.53pm and arrived at the scene at 12.59pm, by which time all the houses had been consumed by the fire.
Fortunately, there were no casualties, although around 50 to 60 people were affected.
The fire’s exact cause is still under investigation, and Kasim urged the public to refrain from speculation.
Earlier today, humanitarian non-governmental organisation Borneo Komrad alleged on Facebook that authorities had burned 30 to 40 houses without prior notice.
The post is among several on social media accusing the authorities of cruel actions, sparking public outrage.
This incident follows another recent controversy where videos showed authorities burning Bajau Laut homes during an eviction in Semporna. Between June 4 and June 6, 138 illegal houses were demolished, involving the stateless Bajau Laut community.
The Human Rights Commission has highlighted the need to consider the broader humanitarian impact of such actions.
Sabir Syarifuddin, a Borneo Komrad member based in Kota Kinabalu, told Scoop that villagers reported being instructed by police to pack their belongings and leave. However, just 10 minutes later, a fire broke out, destroying their homes.
“I think it is quite impossible that there was a short-circuit because the authorities had cut the electricity before the demolition process,” Sabir said.
He noted that the affected villagers are mostly Suluk and Bajau, with 60% having documentation such as MyKad or passports, while the remainder are stateless. – June 10, 2024