Sabah PAS Youth today slammed the state government for standing by idly while three islands off the state's coastline have been put up for sale on the international market.

It is unconscionable of the state government to allow such leeway to private owners to sell off the islands and at same time, have no qualms evicting countless locals from native title (NT) land in the interior regions, the wing's chief Lahirul Latigu said.

NONE Lahirul singled out the Sabah Land and Survey Department for failing to safeguard the interests of Sabahans in the controversial sale of the three islands - Mengalum, Pandanan and Montukod - and expressed shock over how they could have become privately owned.

"PAS Youth is shocked how the Land and Survey Department can simply allow certain individuals to own islands when at the same time the department carries out seizures of native title land," he said in a statement.

Yesterday, state Land and Survey Department director Osman Jamal confirmed that the three islands have been put up for sale, as advertised on www.privateisland.com , and that the owners have the right to dispose of properties belonging to them.

Local newspaper The Borneo Post quoted Osman as saying that there has yet to be any transaction involving the islands - which he stressed must first go through his office to verify the status of the property.

"Pandanan, Montukod and Mengalum are private-owned islands. Disposing of properties is the right of the individuals, but of course we have to look into the government policies concerning sale of properties to interested parties from overseas," he told the daily.

Protect Sabahans' interests

Describing the islands as state heritage, Lahirul said the state government should look at preserving the islands as potential tourist attractions that would benefit Sabah, instead of selling them off to a select few.

azlan The state government's nonchalance over the sale shows clear double standards in its application of land laws, which he said have been used extensively to bully locals into giving up NT land.

Citing a recent Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) report, Lahirul said Sabah recorded 824 complaints of violation of NT land rights, making up 82.4 percent of the total complaints compiled by Suhakam from 2002 till the first quarter of this year.

Allowing the three islands to be put on the international open market also gave other countries a good opportunity to extend their strategic reach in the region by buying any or all of the islands, ultimately at the expense of the security of Sabah and Malaysia.

"If the Land and Survey Department can enforce... the Sabah Land Ordinance and seize native titled land of villagers in the interior, then the same laws should be enforced to protect the interests of Sabahans.

"Sabah PAS Youth demands that the state government stops the sale of the islands, as it will end up being a loss for all Sabahans," Lahirul said, adding that the state should also reveal the identities of the current owners.