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PULAU GAYA, Sabah: The east Malaysian state of Sabah is trying to remove thousands of illegal immigrants, living on stilt houses off the coast of its capital Kota Kinabalu.
Most of them come from the southern Philippines.
Pulau Gaya is the biggest of five islands located off the coast of Kota Kinabalu.
It is about a 10-minute boat ride from the city's waterfront.
Spanning 15 square kilometres, Pulau Gaya is as big as the resort island of Sentosa in Singapore. The side, facing the city of Kota Kinabalu, is fringed by stilt houses mostly occupied by Filipino immigrants.
But not all the inhabitants are illegals.
Many like Benji Sipon have documents or passes issued by local authorities. But these do not allow them to stay on the mainland or work in the city.
Benji, who is a fisherman, said: "We are issued passes under Bajau Lepa which forbid us from working in cities like Kota Kinabalu. But many of us do, so if we are spotted by authorities, we will be arrested. We always get arrested."
The men, women and children here are descendents of Bajau Laut or the sea gypsies who used to roam the sea off Semporna, near southern Philippines, decades ago.
The sea is still their main source of living.
Many are fishermen.
Some work in wholesale fish markets and trade in the nearby handicraft centre.
Others work as boatmen ferrying people across nearby islands.
Benji was arrested before, and his house was once dismantled by local authorities.
But he has returned, just like many others in the village.
He said: "If the authorities return, we get on our boats and speed away or swim as fast as we can."
To the sea gypsies, leaving Pulau Gaya is not an option.
Many would rather risk being arrested, than go back to southern Philippines
One of them said: "We are afraid because back there, there are many shootouts.''
Some Sabahans feel that the government should include these immigrants as part of the nation. After all, they have long been a source of cheap labour for the city.
Zulkifli Gani, a boatman, said: "We need them for the city's development, otherwise who is going to do the heavy work? The locals are not willing, so we can't send them back."
Sabah's state government has set a fresh target to rid the city of Kota Kinabalu of all squatters by 2015. But for the inhabitants off Pulau Gaya, they will not be leaving without a fight. - CNA/ms
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