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Land Below the
Wind
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Area
72,500 sq. km. |
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Sabah Population
2.45mil |
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Key Products
Timber, palm oil, cocoa, fish products |
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As stated at
Wikipedia |
Sabah,
which is also known as the “Land Below
the Wind”, is a great place to visit if you plan to indulge
in nature’s delights. With its majestic mountains, undersea wonders,
lush rainforests, colourful people and unique cultures, the state is set
to woo and win the hearts of many travellers.
Located
at the northern tip of Borneo, the third largest island in the world,
Sabah shares its western border with Sarawak and its southern one with
Indonesia’s Kalimantan. The warm waters of the South China Sea in the
west and the Sulu Sea and Celebes Sea in the east surround this land of
beauty and mystery.
Scattered off the coasts of
Sabah are various island paradises. The state, which is approximately
the size of the Republic of Ireland (70,282 sq. km.), is the second
largest in Malaysia.
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Sea
turtles are found off the waters of Sipadan Island |
Nature’s wonderland
The state is an
eco-treasure trove just waiting to be explored. Sabah possesses
one of the richest underwater ecosystems in the world, making it
a premier destination for those who love marine life.
Tropical paradise
islands such as Pulau Sipadan, Pulau Layang-Layang, Pulau
Kapalai and Pulau Tiga Park (to mention just a few) are
fantastic scuba-diving and snorkelling sites. In these waters,
the diver will discover many rare and endangered sea creatures
such as the hawksbill turtles, giant clams and barracudas.
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However, if you are
into “muck diving” – observing small and bizarre sea creatures –
then rarities such as the mimic octopus, mandarin fish,
seahorses and weird sea slugs known as nudibranchs will keep you
occupied. Those who prefer the land to sea will be spoilt for
choice with the state’s network of parks. Rivers meander through
rainforests at places such as the Crocker Range National Park,
Tawau Hills Park, Danum Valley Conservation Area and Pulau Tiga
Park. The famous Kinabalu Park was even declared Malaysia’s
First World Heritage Site in 2000, a testament to the land’s
diversity in plant, animal, insect and bird life.
The rich forest
ecosystem is home to an assortment of flora such as the
Rafflesia (the largest flower in the world), pitcher plants and
ferns as well as fauna such as the proboscis monkey,
orangutan and Sumatran rhinoceros.
There’s also the Gua
Gomantong, which is inhabited by bats and swiftlets. The
swiftlets’ nests are the source of a famous Chinese delicacy,
bird’s nest, and so command a good price.
Of course, Sabah is
also famous for Gunung Kinabalu, the highest mountain in South
East Asia. In fact, the three highest mountains in Malaysia are
found in this state – Gunung Kinabalu (4,095m), Gunung Trusmadi
(2,642m) and Gunung Tambuyukon (2,579m).
Sabah’s rugged beauty
is an ideal place for adventurers. There are so many activities
to do here ranging from diving and snorkelling to trekking and
mountain climbing, and white-water rafting to spelunking.
The latest extreme
sport to hit the state is skydiving!
However, the state’s
many beaches, islands, parks and highlands are also perfect for
those who prefer a relaxing holiday.
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A group of Murut outside
the Kadazandusun Cultural Association complex entrance during
Kaamatan celebrations |
Beautiful people
The indigenous people
of Sabah are friendly and possess rich traditions and cultures.
There are over 30 different ethnic groups and more than 80 local
dialects in the state. The largest ethnic group is the
Kadazandusun, making up one-third of the population.
The Bajau people are
Borneo’s seafarers and skilled fishermen. They are also known as
rice cultivators and experts in rearing ponies and water
buffaloes. The Murut, which means “hill people”, were once
feared headhunters and are known for their skills with spears,
blowpipes and poison darts. |
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The Heritage Village located on the Sabah
Museum grounds is a good place to visit for an introduction to
these ethnic groups’ way of life.
Those who would like
to take things a step further and experience life in a longhouse
should visit the Rungus tribe (near Kudat) because they have
opened up their homes to visitors. Longhouses are typically
found in the northern and interior parts of Sabah and each
longhouse is divided into apartments for individual families.
It’s little wonder
that an assortment of festivals is celebrated, given the ethnic
diversity here. The people celebrate through music, dance and
food that are uniquely their own. Among the festivals are the
Regatta Lepa Semporna (April), Pesta Keamaatan (May), Pesta
Rumbia (July), Pesta Kelapa (September) and Pesta Jagung
(October).
The Chinese are the
largest non-indigenous group and are major contributors to the
state’s economic development. |
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Handicraft
The different types
of handicraft in Sabah are not merely pretty trinkets because
they reflect the lifestyle of those who made them and therefore
provide us with an insight into their history and cultural
ethnicity.
The Kadazandusun are
known for their woven baskets and musical instruments made from
bamboo. The Rungus – a subgroup of the Kadazandusun – are known
for their intricate beadwork. The Bajau are experts at weaving
bright and colourful tudung saji (food covers) as well as
mats; while the Murut are known for their blowpipes, used widely
by the tribe for hunting in the jungles. |
Economic activities
Sabah’s economy is still
largely dependent upon its agricultural and forestry sectors, which
produce mainly rubber, timber, palm oil and cocoa.
The growth sectors have been
identified as the agriculture, forestry, manufacturing and tourism
sectors.
Contribution from the service
sector – which includes wholesale and retail, restaurants and hotels,
transportation and communication, tourism and related services – is
expected to increase.
Modern history
In the past, Sabah was
primarily under Brunei’s rule but it became a separate state because of
the activities of Western adventurers in the region, especially in the
last quarter of the 19th century.
In 1865, Claude Lee Moses,
the American Consul of Brunei, obtained a lease over the greater part of
the territory from the Sultan. This lease was passed on to an Austrian
baron named Von Overbeck and finally landed in the hands of an English
businessman named Alfred Dent.
Dent signed treaties to
convert the lease into a cession and in 1881, established the Chartered
Company of British North Borneo to manage the acquisition. From then
onwards Sabah, which was known as British North Borneo, was placed under
British protection and governed by the company until the Japanese
Occupation in 1941.
The company gradually
obtained odd pieces of territory not originally acquired. Generally, the
acquisition went smoothly except for some pockets of resistance, the
most serious being the Mat Salleh War (1894-1900) and the Rundum
resistance by the Murut in 1915.
After the Japanese
Occupation, Sabah became a British Crown Colony when the company
surrendered its rights to the British Government.
The state gained its
independence from Britain when it agreed to Tunku Abdul Rahman’s
proposal and became a part of Malaysia in 1963.
More
information about Sabah on the Internet:
http://www.sabahtourism.com
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