Kg Betangga Highland villagers in Sabah allege land encroachment, urge MACC, police and Native Court probe

SIPITANG, June 29 — Villagers from Kg Betangga Highland have called on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the police and the Native Court to investigate the alleged encroachment of village land by a company.

Village Chairman Pius Ganang said he lodged a report at the Sipitang District Police Headquarters last Saturday, urging the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.

He claimed Kg Betangga Highland is part of Kg Mendulong, one of the former Sabah Forest Industries (SFI) concession areas that had been earmarked for gazettement as a village.

Pius said this was in line with a statement made by former Sindumin Assemblyman Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob during the 16th State Legislative Assembly sitting on July 8, 2025.

He alleged that officers from the Sabah Forestry Department and the company entered the area and demolished a church, huts and agricultural crops belonging to villagers.

According to Pius, the Forestry Department and the company failed to produce any letter or notice indicating that the villagers’ appeal to the Chief Minister had been rejected, or any document confirming that the company had been appointed by the Government as the new concession holder following the expiry of the former SFI concession.

“If the Government later decides to gazette Bukit Betangga as a village, what will happen?” he asked.

Pius said the authorities should have waited for an official decision from the Government before taking any action. — Daily Express