A 5,000-strong protest over the weekend at a predominantly Kadazan village in the Penampang district in Sabah sent a powerful message to the state government.

The villagers reiterated that they would not accept the state government's decision to relocate a squatter colony ( left ) - which they claim is rife with bad elements - to their area.

It was a protest where those affected crossed political divides and stood united against the decision to relocate half of the more than 2,000 Sri Tanjung squatters from the Kota Kinabalu International Airport to a proposed site near Kampung Maang, 15km away.

The mounting tension led Barisan Nasional representatives to request for ministerial intervention into this potentially explosive issue.

Last week, in the wake of the protests, Chief Minister Musa Aman said the state cabinet had decided unanimously to relocate only half of the squatters.

Meanwhile, BN Penampang MP Donald Mojuntin and Moyog state assemblyperson Philip Lasimbang told reporters that the relocation should not proceed.

Despite the state government's assurances, the villagers have also claimed that the squatters are made up of foreigners who obtained their identity cards and citizenship through dubious means.

'Time bomb'

The BN reps warned the matter was becoming untenable as the villagers had vowed that the relocation of the squatter colony would only proceed 'over their dead bodies' .

"We are sitting on a time bomb that is waiting to explode," they cautioned.

Among the political leaders who attended the weekend gathering were those from the Penampang Upko division, PBS supreme council members Dr Chong Eng Leong and Johnny Mositun, Sabah Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy chief Christina Liew and Sabah DAP chief Dr Hiew King Cheu.

Apart from setting up a roadblock to the village, three trucks of Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel were also at the scene.

Organising chairperson Frederick Mosoom said the protest was not aimed at venting anger at the state government but rather an appeal for the decision to be reconsidered.

According to him, signatures collected during the protest would be submitted to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should the state government refused to change its stand.

"The (state) leaders often stated that ketua kampungs (village heads) should act as the eyes and ears of the government, but when we told them (leaders) about our apprehension, we were ignored. And when we air our grouses in the newspapers, they get angry."

"We are not asking for billion-ringgit projects, but for (the leaders) listen to our plight. It is puzzling that the people, and even the elected representatives, were not duly informed of the proposal (to relocate the squatters)," he added.