It was a Tuesday morning, but many ethnic Bajau children, clad in unkempt clothes, were seen playing in the under-developed village, situated a mere 15-minutes boat ride away from Sandakan. These villagers of Bajau descent, also known as “sea gypsies”, were mostly fishermen who survived on merely RM600 through their fishing activities and they had lived on the island for generations. It is very hard for our children to access education. Sarimah is also hoping for the government to provide decent health and education amenities, as well as resolving their stateless issues. There is only one clinic and when a pregnant woman is due to give birth, she has to take a boat ride to Sandakan.

Source: The Star May 02, 2019 23:03 UTC