I once visited the Bajau settlement in Kampung Berhala Laut, Sandakan with friends from the UNHCR. The house in the picture above is a typical dwelling place of the indigent Bajau no matter where they are maybe, except those who were educated and well-off.
The owner of the house had confessed on me about his economic status. Though he didn't tell it to the fella from UNHCR, he said to me "You know the roof of my house I just borrowed it from a friend of mine. I promised to him to return it if I have enough money to buy". That guy was a fisherman. His life were spent mostly at the sea. He has no legal document but he rather like to stay in Malaysia than in the Philippines. I asked him why, he said, "In the Philippines its difficult to survive especially to a person like me who has no educational background, plus the goods were expensive. Hopefully, he added, I could get a legal document so that I can go anywhere in Sabah to search for job."
How sad, the story of the downtrodden Sulu people in general who were sacrificing and fleeing from their native land just to find green pastures.
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