2013 - KOTA MARUDU & OTHER DISTRICT

HJ ZULHEIMY MAAMOR

7 JUNE 2024

From Kota Kinabalu, we left for Kota Marudu, Sabah on 22 August 2013 for the "Go Red for Women" campaign in collaboration with PEWANIS Kota Marudu, Sabah.

The journey from Kota Kinabalu to Kota Marudu takes 2 hours and 13 minutes with a travel distance of 119 km through several cities and towns such as Teluk Sepanggar, Inanam, Telipok, Tamparuli, Tuaran and Kota Belud.

Sepanggar is a sub-district of Kota Kinabalu, located around Sepanggar Bay which houses the Sepanggar Bay Container Terminal, Royal Malaysian Navy Base, Sepanggar Bay Oil Terminal, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Universiti Teknologi MARA Sabah Branch, Kota Kinabalu Polytechnic and Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park. 

Tamparuli is a small town and a sub-district of Tuaran, Sabah. Most of the people here are Kadazan-Dusun. In addition, there is also a Chinese community that does business here.

The famous Tamparuli Bridge, according to folklores, the construction of the bridge was led by British Engineer during the post-war colonial. The 200 metre long bridge is made famous by the Kadazandusun folk song "Jambatan Tamparuli" written by Justin Lusah in 1977. It's also known as the Lover's Bridge because of a heartbroken love story. 

The bridge has sustained so many floods events and one such significant event that was commemorated is a piece of a plaque erected in memory of 2 British soldiers who lost their lives on 18th May 1960 in trying to save the life of a local woman.

Tuaran is the capital of Tuaran District in the West Coast Division of Sabah. The town is bordered on three sides by the Tuaran River. It is located 34 kilometres (21 mi) north of the state capital Kota Kinabalu, and is strategically situated along the main highway linking Kota Kinabalu with the north of Sabah.

Kota Belud located in the West Coast Division of Sabah is famous for it weekly's Pasar Tamu or also known as open Market that happen every Sunday. After spending your time at the open market, visitors can explore the many attractions and campsites in Kota Belud. A river cruise along the Nanamun River is not to be missed as well.

KOTA MARUDU

Kota Marudu is the capital of Kota Marudu District in the Kudat Division of Sabah. Located 130 km north of the state Capital Kota Kinabalu. One of the place of interest that is available in Kota Marudu would be the Sorinsim Waterfall, located 40 km from the Kota Marudu town. 

DEWAN KOMUNITI KOTA MARUDU

The Heart Disease Health Program was held at the Kota Marudu Community Hall on 24 - 25 August 2013. A total of 182 people underwent a Health Screening Test during this two-day program.

This program was assisted by nurses from the Kota Marudu District Health Office.

While we were there, we stayed at Hotel Season 2, which is located approximately 300 meters from Kota Marudu Community Hall.

DINNER

Dinner organized by PEWANIS Kota Marudu was held at Kota Marudu Sabah Community Hall.

After completing the program in Kota Marudu, the next day we returned to Kota Kinabalu to return the Health Check items to Kuala Lumpur via the Kota Kinabalu Express Post.

We spent another night in Kota Kinabalu before continuing our flight back to Kuala Lumpur the next day.

That was the end of our program in Sabah in 2013, a memory that I can't forget because we were in Sabah a week after Hari Raya Aidilfitri... the song of Raya still echoed in Sabah when we ran the health program here.

Kota Marudu is quite a long way if you're in Kota Kinabalu but for us it was worth a visit, a small town but beautiful upcoming tourist destinationation.

There are many other areas in Sabah that I have visited but not many memorable photos have been saved. Districts such as Sandakan, Keningau, Tawau and so on.

KENINGAU

Keningau is Sabah’s fifth largest town and houses the largest park in Sabah which is the Crocker Range National Park. Visitors who wish to check out the traditional items of Keningau may head to the Keningau Handicraft Centre to know more details about the numerous handicrafts that’s available there.

My colleagues and I involved in the Heart Disease Health program at Sek. Keb. Sook, Keningau, Sabah on April 4, 2015.

BANJARAN CROCKER

Banjaran Crocker or Crocker Range is a mountain range extending from the West Coast until interior divisions of Sabah, that separates the west and east coast of Sabah. It is named after the British Administrator in North Borneo, William Maunder Crocker. 

Inobong Sub-Station is one of the substation around Crocker Ranger Park, which is the largest national park in Sabah with a vast mountain range. There are a few substations around the Crocker Range such as Inobong, Malungung and Buayan. 

SEPILOK, SANDAKAN

Sepilok is a small town in Sabah, 26 km from Sandakan. It is famous for its Sunbear and Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. 

When I served with RMN ships in the 80s and 90s, our ships often stopped at Sandakan Port to refuel and fulfill other logistical needs.

TAWAU, SABAH

Tawau is another destination that I often visit when serving with Royal Malaysian Navy ships and often stop at the TLDM Jetty at KD Sri Tawau.

Tawau is the third largest city in Sabah, after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan, located on the Semporna Peninsula, bordered by Sulu Sea to the east, the Celebes Sea in the South at Cowie Bay. 

Refer:

Wikipedia : Tawau

KALABAKAN, TAWAU

The Tragedy of Kalabakan in Tawau on December 29, 1963 is still fresh in the mind of Sabahans. Eight military personal from the 3rd Battalion Royal Malay Regiment were killed in action and 18 injured when the Indonesian Army attacked the Military checkpoint. A memorial was built at the site of the battle to commemorate the soldiers who died in the battle. Kalabakan is located about 55 km west of the town of Tawau. 

MALIAU BASIN - SABAH LOST WORLD

A region in Tongod District of Sabah with a total area of 588 sq km, about 40 km north of the Kalimantan Border. It is accessible via the town of Keningau, about four to five hour drives.

Refers:

1. Borneo Eco Tour - Explore Maliau Basin 

2. Sabah Tourism - Maliau Basin

I have very special memory of Sabah, I have many friends from that Land Below the wind, a phrase used by seafarers in the past to described the state that lies below the typhoon belt of East Asia and never battered by any typhoons. 

Recommended Reading:

1. Land below the Winds by Agnes Newton Keith 

GOOD BYE SABAH !!

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

Lembah Keramat, K.L

8 June 2024 > 1 Zulhijjah 1445H: 6.47 p.m