SEMPORNA: Emergency services responded to two major incidents in the east coast this weekend, with firefighters battling a destructive blaze in Tawau while search teams scoured waters off Semporna for a missing fisherman.
A Friday night fire ripped through Kampung Cempaka’s stilt settlement in Tawau, leaving eight families homeless.
The Tawau Fire and Rescue Station was notified at 9.17 pm and deployed 25 personnel who fought the flames for over two hours using seawater pumps.
According to the Operation Commander, five structures were completely destroyed, three partially damaged and a 50-year-old woman treated for hand burns.
The cause of fire is under investigation and temporary shelter will be arranged by the Social Welfare Department.
In a separate incident, 40-year-old Balsiti Utumani, was reported missing after a collision between two fishing boats near Bum-Bum Island, Semporna at 4am on Saturday.
Marine police and firemen launched a search operation for covering a 3KM-radius on Sunday. A second fisherman, Julamdi Abdillah (30), was rescued by a passing vessel.
Meanwhile, the Sandakan Immigration Depot is overcrowded with over 1,500 undocumented migrants, surpassing its 1,200-capacity as enforcement operations intensify across the State.
Sabah Immigration director Datuk Sh Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof said the congestion strains resources and raises safety concerns. The depot currently holds 1,273 Filipinos and 266 Indonesians.
Sabah’s four depots now house 5,181 detainees (4,157 Filipinos, 893 Indonesians) against a 7,000 total capacity. Maintenance issues have forced some Sandakan blocks to close, leaving only six to seven operational.
Sitti Saleha urged the Philippine and Indonesian embassies to speed up travel document issuance, noting delays prolong detentions. Indonesia last repatriated detainees in March.
Recent raids netted 125 arrests, with detainees held in Sandakan. Operations target squatter settlements and employers—80 have been prosecuted for hiring undocumented workers. – James Leong
