KOTA KINABALU: Unlicensed homestays that have sprouted up around the foothills of Mount Kinabalu are posing a serious concern following an incident where a guesthouse was damaged in a landslip.
State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam said almost all of the homestays in the Kundasang area were put up without approval and were not issued certificates of occupancy (OC) for them to operate.
“The local authorities are trying to find a mechanism to help them get OCs but we need to check the safety of the houses and also the location,” he said yesterday.
He was asked about safety concerns with hundreds of homestays being opened by local villagers and also outsiders in Kundasang, in Ranau district.
Dr Gunsalam said there are existing guidelines for the authorities to determine if any homestay is safe and qualified to be issued an OC.
Among the guidelines is for all homestay operators to obtain the necessary approval from the local council and the Fire and Rescue Department, as well as to provide an engineering consultant report on the safety of the structure.
Earth movements are common occurrences in the popular tourist belt where landslides and earthquakes, mostly minor, are recorded from time to time as it sits on two active major regional active faults.
Ground movements triggered by rains over time have also caused damage to buildings and infrastructure including roads to the area that sees thousands of visitors during weekends and long holidays.
On Thursday, a homestay structure at Kampung Cinta Mata was damaged after a landslide along the road to Kampung Masilou from Kundasang town. No one was hurt in the 5.30pm incident.
