The eviction of dozens of families from Kampung Jimpangah moved ahead Sunday as the final deadline for them to vacate the private land expired, ending a brief reprieve negotiated earlier last week.
A total of 34 out of 53 households were affected by the eviction, which follows a February 2023 land transfer to a private individual who later secured a court order to reclaim possession.
The eviction date was initially set for May 21 but was pushed to May 25 following an eleventh-hour appeal by villagers to the demolition workers and lawyers acting on behalf of the landowner.
Residents spent the weekend dismantling their homes, salvaging building materials, and clearing out furniture as one of the demolition worker says there will be no more extension.
“it will be their last day before we barricade the area,” said the worker supervisor on condition of anonimty.
Some of the villagers already made arrangement to sell their timber to cover relocation costs while some are salvaging to rebuild their homes elsewhere.
Electricity to the village was cut earlier in the week.
“I can’t even charge my phone. It’s been tough to get help,” said Michael Basol, 59, who has lived on the land since the early 1980s.
He and his wife were seen stacking bundles of kayu belian into a truck, uncertain where they would rebuild.
Edward Pengang, a neighbor, said he earned RM1,500 from salvaged wood, just enough to transport his belongings to a rented house nearby.
Another villager managed to sell timber for RM3,000.
Of the 53 households, 19 were reportedly allowed to stay temporarily under a verbal arrangement with the landowner.
However, residents say the terms of that deal remain vague, with no formal documentation in place.
“We don’t know if we’ll be charged rent or told to leave again. This is all verbal,” one resident said.
The decision to proceed with the eviction followed over a year of tension.
Village committee leader Rynnalto Peter, who initially resisted the move, conceded last week after a near confrontation with the demolition crew on May 21.
He said the decision to back down came after exhausting all options, including appeals to the Klias assemblyman Datuk Isnin Aliasnih and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor to step in.
“We’ve tried everything. At this point, there’s nothing more to be done,” Peter said. “We’ve received visits from political operatives, Special Branch, even men claiming to be from the military. They all asked questions, but nothing ever came of it.”
On May 22,, an NGO leader came to the village and informed villagers that the state government had offered a 16-acre relocation site.
But residents rejected the proposal, citing flood risks and a lack of basic infrastructure.
“They’re asking us to trade one hardship for another,” a villager said.
Efforts to obtain official comment from the Sabah state government have gone unanswered. No formal relocation plan or compensation package has been announced by the state.
The land in question has a long administrative history.
Originally issued as a Country Lease on March 14, 1911, under the North Borneo Chartered Company, it was part of a colonial rubber estate.
Ownership changed hands multiple times over the decades. In 1995, district records listed it under Woodford Estate Beaufort, with an application filed to convert it into a native housing reserve — a process that was never completed.
The February 2023 land transfer marked the first formal private ownership move in decades, triggering the legal eviction process that culminated this week.
“We’re not asking for luxury,” said a resident who requested anonymity. “Just fairness. A place to start over.”
Most of the villagers appeared to have found alternative housing – some nearby rentals, while others to stay with relatives but they are still unsure how long they can last. – May 25, 2025
