Dark days ahead: An aerial view of the Bukit Malut settlement in Langkawi.
LANGKAWI: While you enjoy the fun in the sun, you may also be interested to know about an illegal settlement of hundreds of villagers mired in murky history called Bukit Malut.
Their younger generation work today in most of the archipelago’s hotels, resorts and shops, but their ancestors were said to be seafarers who used to roam freely in the waters between Thailand and Kedah.
These forefathers were believed to have found a sheltered bay not far from Kuah town and built homes, long before present immigration and land laws existed.
By a twist of fate, their few hectares of tightly packed squatter homes became state land, and now they live under the threat of demolition.
The state government has put a stop to the demolition of their homes and this illegal settlement in Bukit Malut here will remain for now.
Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, when contacted,said that the remaining houses would stay for now.
“We have to find new homes for the residents first before we demolish the squatter houses,” he said.
This, he said, was to prevent them from becoming homeless.
A squatter, who only wanted to be known as Shahril, said he was worried that the house he had been living in for more than 20 years would be demolished soon.
“I’ve had sleepless nights since last year, wondering when my house will be torn down,” he said.
Shahril also claimed that he bought the land some 20 years ago and that he did not expect it to belong to someone else.
He hoped that a fair discussion would take place among the stakeholders to find the best solution for the squatters.
