KOTA KINABALU: A multi-agency operation on Saturday (Aug 3) to weed out squatter homes and undocumented migrants here saw 63 illegal structures demolished and 13 foreigners arrested.
Kota Kinabalu police chief Asst Comm Kasim Muda said the houses were torn down as they were illegally built and did not meet the required safety standards.
“The demolition was not only meant to eradicate illegal settlements but also for the safety and comfort of the surrounding areas,” he said on Sunday (Aug 4).
“Besides that, we also detained 13 Filipinos and Indonesians, among others, for not having personal papers,” he added.
The detainees will be probed under the Immigration Act 1959/63, he said.
Enforcement officers demolishing the squatter homes
ACP Kasim said the operation will be continued in the future in an effort to combat crime, drugs and other social ills in the city.
As such, he urged the public to provide cooperation to the authorities on this matter by reporting any suspicious activity.
Besides the police, other agencies involved in the operation were the National Registration Department, Rela, Civil Defence Force, Sabah Eletricity Sdn Bhd (SESB), Sabah Water Department, State Lands and Surveys Department and the Community Welfare Department.
