Casino set-up found at squatter site KOTA KINABALU:
Kota Kinabalu, Thursday, 24th February, 2000

A surprise raid on a squatter settlement Wednesday revealed the existence of a mini casino complete with cock fighting ring and billiard salon among others. Wednesday's operation by City Hall officials and police at the squatter settlement at Kampung Sembulan Lama, behind the Karamunsing Hotel, was the third in the area. The raid also yielded a homemade Samurai sword hidden beneath the makeshift structures where the gambling paraphernalia were found. The operation was led by City Hall enforcement chief Ag Hussien Perintah and assisted by senior officer Ernest Mojikon with 17 enforcement personal. The team swung into action at about 9am and a backhoe loader was used to demolish the illegal structures. All the squatters were believed to be foreigners based on their dialect although some had Malaysian Identity Cards. One of the squatters approached an officer in the team asking them not to demolish the houses by claiming that they had been given permission to build the houses there by a "Tuan" from City Hall named Ernest.

The squatter also claimed they knew the "Tuan" very well when asked if they had ever met him. However, the squatter received a shock and retreated into the crowd when the officer declared "I am Ernest. Similarly, an old man claimed he was issued a letter by the Ketua Kampong (village head) in Sembulan permitting him to build a house there. Ag Hussein who inspected the letter dated 1992 said it was not valid as only the Department of Land and Survey had the authority when it involved government land. Ag Hussein also assured that the City Hall would continue to monitor and demolish all illegal squatters within the city area. "We have so far identified 27 areas," he said

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