SABAH - KOTA KINABALU (1997)

BY: HJ ZULHEIMY MAAMOR

4 JUNE 2024

Sabah often referred to "Land below the Wind" (Negeri dibawah Bayu),occupies the eastern part of North Borneo. Covering an area of 74,500 sq km, Sabah is the second largest state in Malaysia after Sarawak, its state capital is Kota Kinabalu. 

Home to 32 different indigenous groups that consist of over 30 ethnic races,Sabah is often described as the people that makes visiting Sabah so special. 

KOTA KINABALU

Formerly known as Jesselton, Kota Kinabalu is the capital of Sabah. Affectionaly nicknamed KK by the locals, it's a coastal city partly surrounded by rainforest. Kota Kinabalu is the gateway to Kinabalu National Park, the home of Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Borneo Island and Malaysia. 

The first time I set foot in KK was around 1981/82 when I served with the Royal Malaysian Navy ship KD Raja Jarom based in Woodlands, Singapore. KD Raja Jarom often moored in Sarawak and Sabah's harbors.

The second time I visited Kota Kinabalu was in 1997 with my family. We were on vacation at our brother's house who was working as a Sime Bank Manager in Kota Kinabalu at the time. He lives with his family in Graceville, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

Not far from my brother's house, there is a memorial,the Double Six Memorial, a memorial to remember the tragedy of the plane crash on June 6, 1976, known as the Double Six Tragedy, which claimed the lives of Sabah's First Chief Minister, the late Tun Fuad Stephen and 6 of Sabah ministers. 

TOUR IN KOTA KINABALU

On the first day, our brother took us for a walk around the city of Kota Kinabalu. Among those visited are the Sabah Plant Heritage Center, the Sabah Handicraft Center, the Philippine Market, the Sabah Museum, and many more.

TANJUNG ARU BEACH

Among the famous in Kota Kinabalu is Tanjung Aru Beach which is located approximately 2.7 km from Grace Ville.

We took the opportunity to have a picnic on this beach which is very beautiful beach..... My brother said that people prefer to come to this beach during sunset to see and take photos of the sunset on this beach.

KUNDASANG, SABAH

KG NABALU

On June 2, 1997, we left Kota Kinabalu for Kundasang, Sabah, which is a distance of 94.7 km and takes approximately 2 hours and 7 minutes to reach. The journey from kk to kundasang is 101 km and takes 2 hours 37 minutes.

Kundasang is a hill station in the district of Ranau in Sabah, known for its cool climate, breathtaking landscapes and rich cultural heritage. 

Before reaching our accommodation at Seri Intan Resort, we made a brief stop at Kg. Nabalu or Pekan Nabalu, a small town that is frequently visited by tourists. This town used to be a rest stop for tourists on their way to Kinabalu Park.

One of the many small villages located along the road from Kota Kinabalu to Kinabalu Park, Pekan Nabalu, at roughly 1000m above sea level, has one of the best views of Mount Kinabalu and its surrounding. 

TM RESORT,KUNDASANG

TM Resort located near the Kundasang Mosque, situated on the hills with rooms that offer panoramic view of Mount Kinabalu. Few minutes walks to Pekan Kundasang. 

KUNDASANG WAR MEMORIAL

Kundasang War Memorial, established in 1962, was one of the first memorial to commemorate the brave Australian and British Prisoners of War who died in Sandakan and during the infamous Sandakan Death Marches to Ranau during World War II. The memorial also remembers the people of North Borneo who risked their lives to help the POWs. 

PORING HOT SPRING, RANAU, SABAH
After spending one night at Sri Intan Resort, Kundasang, on the morning of June 3, after breakfast, we left for the Poring Hot Spring Bridge, which is located approximately 35 km from Kundasang. It is located in Ranau district, Sabah. The journey takes about 48 minutes to get there.
Poring is the Kadazan-Dusun name for a type of bamboo that grows in the area. Poring Hot Spring Park is famous for its Hot Spring Pool and Hanging Bridge, which are 157.8 m long and 41 m high above the trees.

PONDOK TIMPOHON, KINABALU PARK, KUNDASANG, SABAH

From the Poring Hot Spring Bridge, we left for Kundasang towards Pondok Timpohon. There are two routes to Kinabalu Park: one through Timpohon Gate and the other through Mesilau.

Pondok Timpohon is the Entrance gate & checkpoint for climbers ascending Mt. Kinabalu, with mini market and viewing deck. 

DINNER AT MENGGATAL, SABAH

From Kundasang, we left for Menggatal for dinner. The journey from Pondok Timpohon to Menggatal is quite far, approximately 78.2 km, and takes 1 hour and 22 minutes.

Menggatal is a small town located in the West Coast district of Sabah. Menggatal is the name of a type of mango tree that, when eaten, can cause itching. The fruit is called Mangga Gatal and eventually becomes Menggatal.

The name Pekan Menggatal has now been changed to Pekan Manggatal due to certain reasons in terms of the meaning of Menggatal in the Malay language.

RETURN TO KUALA LUMPUR

After a few days in Sabah, we finally returned to Kuala Lumpur on 7 June 1997. It is worth it to visit Kota Kinabalu aside from its beautiful city, mountain and islands. Kota Kinabalu is a perfect city to gain insight on Sabah's heritage in the form of cultural villages. Kota Kinabalu is a good place to spend a couple of days before exploring the rest of Sabah in Malaysia. 

GOOD BYE SABAH!!

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

Lembah Keramat, K.L

5 June 2024 > 28 Zulkaedah 1445H: 10.48 p.m

THOSE WERE THE DAYS : THE KAMPUNG LIFE

BY HJ ZULHEIMY MAAMOR

25 MAY 2024

Kampong in Malay refers to a hamlet or village. The old fashioned kampong in those days (60’s and 70’s) didn’t really have too much electricity, where every evening my grandfather would light the gasoline lamp for the night and the basic form and structure of most ‘kampong’ houses are similar, most have attap houses.

Life in a kampong those days was mostly harmonious and it was not uncommon for people to readily offer their neighbours food, help and support.

Although I grew up in the city of Kuala Lumpur, I still have my mother’s and father's village in Melaka and Negeri Sembilan. Growing in the 60’s and 70’s was simply epic, life was much different then. It is the day that you spend only 50 cents to school, where you can have a bowl of Mee Curry and drinks at school canteen. Those who brings 1 Ringgit to school was considered rich and gained plenty of ‘friends’. But that's not what I want to scribble here; what I want to write about is a life in the village in those days in the 70’s.

When I was a kid, we would go back to my Mom’s and my father’s kampong every Hari Raya or on special occasion. My father's village is in Lubok China Negeri Sembilan while my mother's is in Lubok China Melaka, bordering between the two villages.

Before the existence of the North-South highway, the journey back to my Kampong would take about 6 hours through the old roads passing the villages and towns around, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Melaka. Nowadays through the highway it takes about 2-3 hours only.

For me, Kampong life is still the best, people are much more relaxed in the kampong and life move much more slowly . I would miss the day when my cousins and I would run around the kampong and swim in the river, just a whole lot of outdoors activities.

And at night, before bedtime, we would gather and got horror stories to tell. There is no gadget and internet at the time and that is great. Yet another scariest part was , if you have a stomach ache in the middle of the night, particularly if no one was willing to accompany you to the external toilets, the toilet that was located outside the house at that time. Then, you have no choice but to go to the toilet alone at night. Later, one of your cousins will knock on the toilet door and make creepy noises while you are inside... you can imagine how you feel at that time.... hahaha

Man, do you know how much I miss those days at Kampung life in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Unfortunately, I rarely been there since my grandparents and my parents passed away, but I’m glad I experienced it, unlike some friends of mine who were born and raised in big cities.

As you can see these days, children and teenagers today, their favourite pastimes are watching Youtube and playing video games on their handheld gadgets, not to forget surfing the internet and keeping themselves updated on social media. That’s what life is like for our children and youngsters, used to be different during our times in the 60’s and 70’s.

Gone are the days where children went to the river or stream to catch fighting fish and climbed up trees in the jungle to pick fruits. Some of them would feel embrassed to be labeled as Kampung kids, little do they realise that people who grew up in the era before the arrival of the internet and digital gadgets were generally resilient and independent, thank to their kampong life and upbringing which taught them valuable lessons, on how to fend for themselves and overcome challenges……

I remember Mary Hopkins with here song “THOSE WERE THE DAYS”… some of the lyrics that really touch my soul…

Those were the days, my friend

We thought they'd never end

We'd sing and dance forever and a day

We'd live the life we choose

We'd fight and never lose

Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

Lembah Keramat, K.L

25 May 2024 :16 Zulkaedah 1445H": 10.59 a.m