Govt urged to form special task force for Bajau Laut

The government has been urged to establish a special task force focused on the Bajau Laut community.

Community-run school Iskul Sama DiLaut Omadal made this plea after claims that the authorities had evicted the community on seven islands in Semporna, Sabah and had their stilt houses demolished on June 4 and 5.

Iskul Sama DiLaut Omadal, in a statement posted on Instagram, proposed that the task force initiate discussions with the Philippines and Indonesia to develop a collaborative approach to safeguard and protect the Bajau Laut as the indigenous people of the Sulu and Sulawesi Seas.

“The task force should conduct a comprehensive historical study on the Bajau Laut community in the region.

“It should also organise stakeholder consultations with the affected communities, facilitated by relevant NGOs working on the ground,” said the school, where dedicated children who went to government schools teach their less fortunate Bajau Laut peers crucial skills.

Nomads in the Sulu and Sulawesi Seas

Iskul Sama DiLaut Omadal also acknowledged the Bajau Laut’s long-standing presence as sea nomads in the Sulu and Sulawesi Seas and that their ancestors had roamed the waters for generations - practising subsistence fishing, collecting sea products and contributing to the local economy.

“Historical records such as those of Spenser St John and Verschuer in 1862, document encounters with nomadic Bajaus in the north and northeast coast of Borneo (Sabah).

“Similarly, 19th-century accounts by John Crawfurd mention nomadic Bajaus visiting all parts of North Borneo (present-day Sabah), including areas around Malawali Island and the surrounding islands in Sabah.

“Notably, Hermann von Dewall's 1849 report documented seasonal movements of Bajau boats over significant distances, highlighting their mobility,” it added.

The Bajau Laut practise a nomadic lifestyle at sea, living in small boats or houses built on stilts at the coast or in shallow waters.

This community has been plagued by longstanding statelessness, preventing them from accessing education and subsidised healthcare at government facilities.

One video showed several men pushing a dilapidated house until it collapsed, and another showed a woman lamenting the loss of her home and pleading for mercy from the “authorities”.

Borneo Komrad founder Mukmin Nantang further claimed they were now left with nothing as their homes and boats were burnt.

“Their boats were also burnt, so they do not know where to go,” Mukmin told Malaysiakini.

Rights group Pusat Komas also condemned the alleged eviction, highlighting that such actions underscore the issues surrounding undocumented individuals and questioned their treatment.

Pusat Komas also strongly emphasised the need to identify the “authorities” who issued the orders and hold them accountable for their actions.

‘Perfect location’ for new settlements

According to a report by RTM on May 2, the Sabah Local Government and Housing Ministry said 18 squatter colonies in Semporna will be moved to Kampung Melantak Tutup as an initiative to eliminate such colonies in the district.

Assistant Local Government and Housing Minister Isnin Aliasnih was quoted as saying that the 89.42ha village was the perfect location for new settlements for the squatters who are local citizens.

“We are just waiting for the implementation. We want Semporna to be more beautiful, more sempurna (perfect),” he said.

Separately, Semporna district officer Alexander Liew, in the same report, said his party would identify residents who are eligible to be relocated.

“The first thing to do is the profiling (process), (to identify) citizens and non-citizens. It is estimated to be thousands of people, I’m unable to reveal the exact number but it’s an estimate of about 7,000 people.”

In March, Deputy Chief Minister II Joachim Gunsalam said the state committee on squatters had identified 285 squatter colonies in Sabah, involving 33,566 houses and 130,397 residents.

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