Documentation requirements delay aid for Kinabatangan residents
KINABATANGAN: Aside from complaints on roads, water and electricity, bureaucratic red tape in accessing government assistance remains a major concern among many Kinabatangan voters.
Across several villages, residents lament that aid meant for low-income families is increasingly difficult to obtain, with applications often delayed or stalled by documentation requirements and administrative processes they struggle to navigate.
They said these difficulties are compounded by unresolved land status issues, which weaken eligibility for assistance and leave long-settled communities repeatedly applying without clear outcomes.
While the problem is not confined to one settlement, residents pointed to Kampung Warisan as an example of how such challenges persist.
The village, located close to Kota Kinabatangan, has existed since the early 1980s but has yet to be gazetted. The land remains under the jurisdiction of the Kinabatangan district council, leaving residents without formal land tenure.
“It is not that people here do not apply for assistance,” said Stephen Japar, 54, a security supervisor and long-time resident.
“The problem is the process keeps changing, and without proper land status, we feel unprotected. We are treated like squatters. We live in fear that if the land is needed, we can be asked to leave at any time,” he said.
Stephen said the uncertainty has made residents hesitant to invest in home repairs or improvements, even as families continue to grow.
Another resident, Masni Pikok, 47, said access to assistance has become more difficult over time, particularly as applications for eKasih require multiple layers of registration and supporting documents.
“People are often told they qualify, but then they are asked for another document or registration. Some families do not even have transport to make repeated trips to offices, only to be told the officer is unavailable.
“After a while, it feels like help is selective. We keep being told to apply, but nothing materialises,” she added.
Several voters interviewed said these frustrations reflect a broader sentiment among rural and semi-urban communities in Kinabatangan, where administrative systems are seen as inaccessible to those without vehicles, digital access or formal land titles.
For Salamun Noyang, a Lamag voter, the by-election has brought renewed attention to issues residents say have gone unresolved for years.
“This election is not just about choosing a candidate. It is about whether the system will finally work for people who have been waiting for a long time,” he said.
Residents want their elected representative to cut through red tape and ensure assistance reaches genuine recipients.
“We are not asking for special treatment. We just want fairness, recognition and a system that does not leave long-settled communities behind,” said Masni.
As campaigning continues, residents hope concerns they raised during the by-election will translate into concrete action after polling day.
