KOTA KINABALU: Former paper and pulp mill workers of the Sabah Forest Industries (SFI) have staged a peaceful demonstration, urging the state government to assist them.
Some 30 of them demonstrated outside the Sabah assembly that was in session here on Thursday (Aug 10) in a bid to hand over a petition to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
A spokesman, Jeffridin Baudi, said they were appealing to the state government to reinstate the water and electricity supply to their SFI workers’ quarters in Sipitang about 130km from here.
An official from the Chief Minister's Department received the petition.
Jeffridin said the water and electricity supply had been cut since May 2 but some 674 of them continued to stay at the quarters.
“A primary school was also affected," he said, adding that electricity was needed to operate the pumps for the water treatment plant.
The state assembly compound was closed off to the group and they made the appeal outside the gates.
SFI ceased operations in 2016 and was officially wound up in November, 2021.
The state government had in September, 2021 cancelled SFI's timber licence and the state Land and Survey Department issued a reclamation notice for the estate last year.
