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Published: January 28th 2009
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Tunku Abdul Rahman Park
Illegal shanty towns in the background on Pulau Gaya, the biggest island in the marine park off the shore of Kota Kinabalu. What a way to start my Blog, on such a negative foot. No, I don't think it has to be negative, but the way its going, things look very bleak.
I speak of the many waves of illegal immigrants that have struck the shores of Sabah and her islands. Many of these Immigrants of not much more than social refugees, exiled from their own countries by poverty stricken circumstances. They're only salvation lies across the border, within the safer zone of Malaysian waters. These rich environments hold for them, the ability to lead long happy lives. But at what cost? Over population, unemployment and crime is rife.
The Malaysian government actually supports the landings just as long as the people worship Islamic faith. the government has actually been known to hand out citizenship status to these people, as long as they are willing to vote for muslim leaders. Nothing is mentioned about sustaining or preserving the unique environments they have invaded. Its tough to put the blame on one single cause or one single people, for many are the culprit.
I was spurred into writing this post after reading a blog about the Bajau people, of filipino
Army on Kapalai
Military presence deters illegal activities. decent, and Bugis of indonesian decent, squatting on the once pristine island of Mabul and surrounding areas. And I have questioned why these immigrants were allowed to remain on the island, while the resorts of Sipadan were closed. The rationale for closing the resorts was simple. Human habitation caused marine destruction through direct contact(fishing,etc) and non direct contact, pollution (humanwaste, skin and hair products).
But is there not some kind of hypocrisy going on, why are others allowed to stay one Mabul when Sipadan was evacuated? Why are there just as many, if not more, resorts on Mabul than previously on Sipadan? From my experience, Mabul is just as precious as Sipadan. and yet, since the closing of the Sipadan resort, military night patrols have slowed or ceased and Illegal fishing directly on and around Sipadan's reefs are on the rise. The turtles are being poached and reefs bombed. whats going on?
Things wouldn't be as bad if the refugee people were environmentally aware and practiced sustainability where they lived, the problem lies within the established modern world, where money is a necessity and care for the environment does not provide any of it. It doesn't help that
Oil palm plantations
Kelapa Sawit, as its known locally, cover what once was vast rainforest. most tourist companies are out to serve themselves and give little back to the community and country. So the people are driven to make ends meet no matter what the cost. And anyway, they accept that this is not their land. They feel as if they do not need to show respect , nor are they educated enough to sustain the beauty of such places. things will go very bad.
So with all that said, what are the real natives of Sabah to do? I am myself am a native of Sabah, born half Kadazan and half Dusun. the truth is there is not much we can do. Though we are the native title holders, our opinions matter little, to those who pull the strings and hold the finances. Little to do, but watch as our forests and reefs are plundered by international influence.
And I do realize that the refugees come with very little other choices.
While I was visiting my uncle in KK this past May, we were talking about this same issue. He has
owned a pool cleaning and installing service prior to his retirement. His story was this.
He had hired
Coastline
shanty towns near Semporna. illegal immigrants for his business, when one day a few of them went missing or just didn't show up. A whole week went by and no one came to work. at the end of the week, one of the workers did return. His story was that he and a few others were detained by the Sabah police and were put on a boat to be transferred back to the filipines. When their boat reached the border between Sabah and Sulu islands they were met with a filipino boat which was to take them back home.
After they had changed boats and the Malaysian boat had disappeared, the filipino boatmen turned their pistols and rifles towards the refugees and they were told to disembark (get off).
The boat then left them there in the open ocean. The man working for my uncle claimed to have swam for 3 days and was rescued by a sabah fishing boat. he was back at work that same week, still illegal, and with a few less friends..
Just another sad story in the reality of life.
Sabah and Sarawak remain a unique Eden because the native people cherish them. they
No forest left.
Where great diversity was once found, monotonous vegetation now persists. would never cut down their own home, unless driven to do so by overpopulation, competition and international influence. If none of these things existed, we would have no problems. How I loath the modern world for introducing such factors..
I could mention how much of Borneo's resources are exported and how less than 5% of profit is send back. How the rest goes abroad to west Malaysia and foreign investors. that includes the kelapa sawit (oil palm), logging, mining ect.
How Sabah and Sarawak are the biggest and most resource filled territories, but are the least developed and sport the highest unemployment rate than any other in Malaysia. Let me tell you the real natives are not happy with being part of Malaysia. They get cheated and suffer the most out of everyone. why is that?
Out of everything I've mentioned the biggest thing I wanted to get across is not the injustice dealt to the natives, or the corrupt government ideals.
It is the need of education to these new people. they must realize that the environment in which they've decided to settle, is in dire need of protection. once they are gone they will
Photo from the Air
Of the plantations covering Sabah never return in our lifetimes.
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