THE Sabah government has not decided on where to place 786 victims of a fire which ravaged a squatter village in Likas last week, Kota Kinabalu mayor Yeo Boon Hai said.

“All is being planned. No decision yet… we just wait,” Yeo said, today.

Yesterday, 250 residents in Kampung Darau in Inanam, some 8km from the fire site, gathered to protest a purported move to temporarily house the victims at a 16-acre land in their village.

Sepanggar MP Azis Jamman had allegedly said the victims would be relocated to Kampung Darau as a transit settlement.

Earlier, Azis told a Sabah news portal several locations had been identified and noted Kampung Darau is only one of the areas proposed by the Kota Kinabalu city hall.

He clarified it is the state government decision where the villagers would be settled.

On July 24, a fire destroyed 150 houses in Kampung Cenderamata Dua, leaving 783 locals and migrants, including children, with only the clothes on their back.

The victims are presently placed at the Likas multi-purpose hall but some have been moved to another hall in Kampung Cenderakasih near Inanam due to overcrowding.

A Kampung Darau resident told local media that although the villagers empathise with the victims, his community would not be able to accept the outsiders.

He said Azis never consulted the locals on the matter and did not consider their sensitivities before announcing the plan.

“There is a stigma over such incident as we have seen other places becoming permanent settlements although it was meant only as a transit point,” said Ashin Jamat. – July 30, 2018.