KOTA KINABALU: One hundred and thirty two homeless ethnic Pala’u people who were found roaming in the city have been picked up under ‘Ops Bangau’ on Thursday.
Kota Kinabalu City Council (DBKK) in a statement said the operation conducted with members of the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) and Immigration Department began at 8.30 am on Thursday in areas of Sembulan and Inanam and it would go on until Sunday (March 7).
“They would be gathered and screened for Covid-19 before being sent to Immigration Depot for further action…they are placed in a temporary shelter while waiting for the results of Covid-19 test.
“KKCH is acting on its humanitarian policy to accommodate them before being handed over to the Related agencies and thanked Rela and the Immigration Department for joining in the operation which involved 75 personnel,” it said.
The issue of the homeless ethnic Pala’u group around Sembulan and Inanam went viral on social media when they were reported coming to the city and settling illegally apart from begging in the streets.
Bernama in an article last month highlighted the ethnic Pala’u people especially children begging around Kota Kinabalu which exposed them, to Covid-19 and local residents were worried the group could be a source of the disease. – Bernama