KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is aiming to eliminate or significantly reduce the number of squatter colonies in the state, said Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
Chairing the main committee handling squatter matters, Dr Joachim stated that there are currently 285 colonies in Sabah, comprising 33,566 houses and housing 130,397 people.
He highlighted that only Ranau, Kota Belud, and Tuaran are without such colonies.
"Every district should have its own plan to address these squatters. I want to see more districts become zero-squatter zones.
"For districts with many colonies, they must achieve a significant reduction by the end of 2025," said Dr Joachim, who is also the State Minister of Local Government and Housing, during the Ministry's Excellence Awards ceremony held here last night.
He stressed the need for local authorities to conduct studies on housing needs and identify available land for development under the People's Housing Programme (PPR).
Dr Joachim also expressed concern about some staff from local authorities not adhering to the public servant's schedule.
"This cannot be tolerated. The same goes for senior officers. I am aware of the public's perception that presidents, executive officers, and senior officers are difficult to find in the office.
" I take this matter seriously, and several steps will be introduced by the ministry to rectify this," he said.