KOTA KINABALU: Over ten families in Kg. Landong Ayang, Kudat, must vacate their homes within 14 days following an eviction notice from the Sabah Lands and Surveys Department, sparking public outcry.
The notice, dated May 19 and seen by The Star, was issued under Sections 166 and 173(1)(h) of the Sabah Land Ordinance. It stated that the families had built homes on state reserve land without approval, making them trespassers.
Residents must demolish their houses or face forced eviction, a fine of up to RM100,000, or imprisonment of up to five years, or both.
The department also stated it would not be responsible for any damage or loss during enforcement.
Wira Warisan (Youth) P167 Kudat head Khairuddin Daud condemned the move as inhumane and unjust. He said Kg. Landong Ayang is not a squatter area but a longstanding community established since the 1970s.
"There are basic public facilities here—a school, mosque, Tadika KEMAS, and futsal court—which proves this is not a temporary settlement, but a functioning community," he said on Tuesday (May 20).
Khairuddin said that the affected residents are low-income Sabahans who have lived in the area for decades.
"What’s puzzling is that the houses marked for eviction are right in the middle of an established kampung. They’ve been there for many years—so why is the eviction happening only now?" he questioned.
He added that the eviction notice was issued without any relocation plan, compensation, or alternative housing.
"This is traumatising, especially for the elderly and children. It’s not the action of a government that claims to champion the people," he said.
He also criticised the inconsistency in land management, noting that while families are being evicted from land they’ve occupied for decades, large parcels allocated to federal agencies remain idle.
Khairuddin said residents had sought help from the village chief and Tanjong Kapor assemblyman Datuk Ben Chong Chen Bin but have yet to receive any response or solution.
He urged the state government to immediately withdraw the eviction notice and hold an open dialogue with residents, relevant agencies, and grassroots leaders to find a fair and humane resolution.
"We will not remain silent. Kg. Landong Ayang is not just land—it is home, dignity, and the future of our people," he said.
Sr Caley Jousie Amin, assistant land revenue collector in Kudat, signed the eviction notice.
