Social activist highlights plight of homeless squatters
KOTA KINABALU: Social and political activist Kanul Gindol has highlighted the plight of squatters rendered homeless as a result of ongoing demolition.
"The ongoing demolishing of squatters' houses all over Sabah is heartbreaking, at least to a man like me, a 55-year-old native who embraced multiracialism and humanity for all," said Kanul in a statement yesterday.
He said the various statements of intent by certain current Sabah ministers and the various videos going around to show the acts of these statements, have raised some serious self-questioning on himself as to whether the acts of demolishing another human's house without providing for alternative is humane or a sheer act of yesteryear's uncivilised men.
"Granted, they are squatting on State Government's lands or on someone's land, but is it humane to raze these dwellings down, mostly dilapidated houses, and leave small kids, widows, the sick, pregnant women without a house?" he asked.
Kanul said if the authorities were to demolish 50 houses, the affected human beings made homeless could reach to 500, especially if these housed illegal immigrant families.
"The next question is where will these 500 go and live? I've heard many are forced to erect shades for the night and others went on to stay with relatives. Does this solve the ultimate issue? I wonder if Jabatan Kebajikan and the health authorities are concerned at all with the predicaments of these other human beings we are forced to host here in Sabah, sometimes labelled as PTI and 'asing'.
"My heart goes out to the children and the sick. These small kids never asked or never got to choose from which womb they would be born.
“I can imagine their misery, even so I also want a permanent solution to the problem of transient population in Sabah," he continued.
"Most of the victims are Muslims. I cannot stay silent, when the power that be came during the Ramadan month, a fasting month, to raze these people's dwellings.
"We are all mere travellers on this earth. We must love all human beings. We must ensure the basics, foods, dwelling and clothes are on all of our neighbours. Even Jesus welcomed strangers and brought much love to them. Who are we to inflict so much misery on other human beings?
"Let us hope for better lasting solutions to Sabah's miseries, and not just do some showy inhumane gimmick acts to portray one's power over the powerless and stateless. They are human too!" said Kanul.