Nearly three years after the Kampung Kurnia Jaya fire in Tawau, victims are still waiting for the RM10 million housing aid pledged by the Sabah state government to rebuild their homes.
The devastating fire on March 17, 2022, destroyed over 700 houses and left 1,338 people homeless.
In the aftermath, Chief Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor announced a RM10 million allocation to assist the victims.
However, the funds have yet to be disbursed, forcing many victims to struggle.
“We’ve been waiting for three years, renting a house for RM1,200 a month. In the end, I had to borrow RM5,000 to build a makeshift house,” said retiree Kenneth Tahir.
Dahlia Hamsail, a housewife, lamented that only initial assistance was provided. “To this day, no rebuilding has taken place,” she said.
Tawau UMNO Division Chief Ghazalie Ansing has urged the government to fulfill its promise.
“RM10 million for 500 homes is just RM10,000 per house. I will bring this matter to the Deputy Prime Minister for immediate action,” he said.
Meanwhile, Apas assemblyman Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan encouraged victims to apply for the Rumah Mesra Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) housing program, which provides free housing for eligible applicants.
“We prioritize fire victims, even if they are not listed in the e-Kasih database,” he explained, adding that victims could work with family landowners to allocate 45×45-foot plots for the housing initiative.
Residents of Kampung Kurnia Jaya remain in limbo, waiting for the government’s long-promised support as the third anniversary of the fire approaches. – January 21, 2025.
