Wendy Law Suart (26 August 1926 – 16 July 2012) was an Australian traveller and writer. She is best known for the 11,000-mile (18,000 km), three-year-long cycling trip round Australia that she undertook with her friend Shirley Duncan between 1946 – 1949. She wrote several books about her life.
184-655: Kota Kinabalu ( Malaysian: [ˈkota kinaˈbalu] ; formerly known as Jesselton ), colloquially referred to as KK , is the state capital of Sabah , Malaysia . It is also the capital of the Kota Kinabalu District as well as the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea . The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies to its west and Mount Kinabalu , which gave
368-683: A British Crown Colony in 1946. On 31 August 1963, Sabah was granted self-governance by the British. Following this, Sabah became one of the founding members of the Federation of Malaysia (established on 16 September 1963) alongside the Crown Colony of Sarawak , the Colony of Singapore (expelled in 1965), and the Federation of Malaya ( Peninsular Malaysia or West Malaysia). The federation
552-990: A Federal Court . Another court for the Sharia law were also located in the area of Sembulan. The Sabah Police Contingent Headquarters is located in Kepayan. There are two district headquarters in the city, the Kota Kinabalu District police headquarters located in Karamunsing , and the Penampang District headquarters. Both also operate as police stations. Other police stations are found in KKIA, Tanjung Aru , Putatan , and Menggatal . Police substations (Pondok Polis) are found in Luyang , Likas , Telipok and Babagon. The city's traffic police headquarters
736-589: A naval base for the Royal Malaysian Navy and an oil depot in addition to handling containerised cargo. In 2004, Kota Kinabalu Port handled about 3.6 million tonnes of freight cargo, the third highest in the state after Sandakan Port and Tawau Port. However, it handles the highest number of containers in the state, with 153,793 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) of containers handled in 2006. Sepanggar Bay Port will have an annual capacity of 200,000 TEU when its container terminal
920-510: A Land Commissioner, identified a 30 acres (12 ha) site opposite Gaya Island as a replacement for Gantian Bay. The replacement settlement site was a fishing village called Api-Api (see Original names above). The site was chosen due to its proximity to the North Borneo Railway and its natural port that provided good anchorage, which was up to 24 feet deep. By the end of 1899, construction had started on shoplots ,
1104-446: A considerable amount of rain from 1,800 millimetres to 4,000 millimetres. The coastal areas occasionally experience severe storms as the state is situated south of the typhoon belt. Due to its location is very close to the typhoon belt, Sabah experience the worst Tropical Storm Greg on 25 December 1996. The storm left more than 100 people dead, with another 200–300 missing, 3,000–4,000 people left homeless. As Sabah also lies within
1288-559: A continental shelf with Sabah. The Philippines claims much of eastern Sabah. It claims that the territory is connected with the Sultanate of Sulu and was only leased to the North Borneo Chartered Company in 1878 with the Sultanate's sovereignty never being relinquished. Malaysia however, considers this dispute as a "non-issue", as it interprets the 1878 agreement as that of cession and that it deems that
1472-646: A discussion culminating in the Malaysia Agreement and 20-point agreement , on 16 September 1963 North Borneo (as Sabah) was united with Malaya, Sarawak and Singapore, to form the independent Malaysia . From before the formation of Malaysia until 1966, Indonesia adopted a hostile policy towards British-backed Malaya, leading to the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation after Malaysia was established. The war stemmed from what Indonesian president Sukarno perceived as an expansion of British influence in
1656-503: A distinct Sabahan creole . However, as about 20% of Kota Kinabalu residents are of Chinese descent, Chinese is also widely spoken. Among the Chinese, the most commonly spoken varieties are Huiyang Hakka (Simplified Chinese: 惠阳客家话; Traditional Chinese: 惠陽客家話) and Mandarin . Additionally, most Chinese can speak Cantonese , although with widely varying levels of fluency. Almost all residents are also able to speak English, especially
1840-429: A final decision to award both islands to Malaysia in 2002 based on their "effective occupation". In February 2013, Sabah's Lahad Datu District was penetrated by followers of Jamalul Kiram III , the self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu . In response, Malaysian military forces were deployed to the region, which resulted in 68 deaths (58 Sultanate militants, nine Malaysian security personnel, and six civilians). Following
2024-641: A group called Kinabalu Guerrillas in the Jesselton Revolt consisting of local inhabitants. Japanese forces quelled the rebellion after its leader, Albert Kwok , was arrested and executed in 1944. At the later stages of the war, what remained of the town was destroyed again by Allied bombings day and night for over six months as part of the Borneo Campaign in 1945, leaving only three buildings standing. The war in North Borneo ended with
SECTION 10
#17327733842582208-665: A job in Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu) in British North Borneo (now the Malaysian state of Sabah). There she met Brian Suart, an Englishman who worked for Cable and Wireless as an engineer. They married in Jesselton on 21 January 1951. The couple left Borneo in 1953, and Brian's work took them around the world. They had six children, and after Brian's retirement in 1974, settled in Surrey and then Hampshire in
2392-481: A narrow flatland between the Crocker Range to the east and the South China Sea to the west. There are six islands off the coast of the city. The largest is Gaya Island , the site of the first British settlement. Approximately 8,000 people live there. The smaller islands, mainly uninhabited, are named Sapi Island, Manukan Island , Sulug Island, Mamutik Island and Sepanggar Island to the north. Sepanggar island
2576-500: A pier and government buildings. This new administrative centre was renamed Jesselton after Sir Charles Jessel , who was the then Vice-Chairman of BNBC. Eventually, Jesselton became a major trading post of North Borneo, dealing in rubber, rattan , honey , and wax. The North Borneo Railway was used to transport goods to the Jesselton harbour. The Malay and Bajau uprisings during those times were not uncommon, and BNBC worked to quell
2760-502: A popular belief amongst Sabahans that both USNO and UMNO have been working together in permitting illegal immigrants from the southern Philippines and Indonesia to stay in the state and become citizens to vote for Muslim parties. This was continued under the Sabah People's United Front (BERJAYA) administration led by Harris Salleh with a total of 73,000 Filipino refugees from the southern Philippines were registered. In addition,
2944-550: A referral hospital for children and women. Hospital Mesra Bukit Padang (Bukit Padang Mental Hospital), which opened in 1971, provides psychiatric services for the entire state. KPJ Specialist Hospital is the largest private hospital with 245 beds. In addition, five other large private health facilities are Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu with 200 beds, Jesselton Medical Centre (JMC) with 73 beds, Damai Specialist Centre (DMC) with 56 beds and Rafflesia Medical Centre (RMC) with 33 beds. There are many government or state schools in and around
3128-429: A significant population of Visayan origin, as well as smaller groups from northern Philippines . In addition to Filipinos, the city is also home to sizeable residence of Indonesian descent . These groups, primarily of Bugis , Banjarese , Torajans and Javanese ancestry, have established visible presence in the city. There is a small population of Indians , Pakistanis , Timorese and Eurasians scattered around
3312-576: A total of 1,743 kilometres (1,083 mi) coastline, of which 295.5 kilometres (183.6 mi) have been eroding . Because of Sabah coastline facing three seas, the state receive an extensive marine resources. In 1961, Sabah including neighbouring Sarawak , which had been included in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) through the participation of the United Kingdom, became joint associate members of
3496-478: A village headman (known as ketua kampung ) for each village. The administrative divisions were inherited from the provinces of the British administration. During the British rule, a Resident was appointed to govern each division and provided with a palace ( Istana ). The post of the Resident was abolished and replaced with district officers for each of the district when North Borneo became part of Malaysia. As in
3680-463: A water catchment area with its headwater connecting to five major rivers in the west coast area. Kinabalu National Park was inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000 for its richness in plant diversity combined with its unique geological, topographical, and climatic conditions. The park hosts more than 4,500 species of flora and fauna, including 326 bird and around 100 mammal species along with over 110 land snail species. Tiga Island
3864-435: Is Mount Tambuyukon , with a height of 2,579 metres. These mountains and hills are traversed by an extensive network of river valleys and are in most cases covered with dense rainforest. There are lower ranges of hills extending towards the western coasts, southern plains, and the interior or central part of Sabah. The central and eastern portions of Sabah are generally lower mountain ranges and plains with occasional hills. In
SECTION 20
#17327733842584048-686: Is banteng , bearded pig , clouded leopard , dugong , elephant , false gharial , green turtle, hawksbill sea turtle, orangutan , pangolin , proboscis monkey , river shark , roughnose stingray , sambar deer , shark and sun bear . Although the indigenous community are also involved in hunting, they hunt based on their spiritual believes and practice, and on a small scale, which differentiates them from poachers. Well-known indigenous practices, such as " maganu totuo " or " montok kosukopan ", " tuwa di powigian ", " managal " or " tagal " and " meminting ", have helped to maintain resources and prevent their depletion. Wendy Law Suart Suart
4232-544: Is a Malay word meaning 'Fire'. Wendy Law Suart wrote in her book on North Borneo , The Lingering Eye , "there is in the Sabah State Museum a Dutch map of Borneo and the Celebes dated 1657 in which the settlement where Jesselton was to stand is clearly labelled Api Api. It may have some connection with the seaside tree with breathing roots that bears the same name". There are claims, however, that Kota Kinabalu
4416-533: Is a name for the mountain in the Dusun language . There is also a source claiming that the term originated from Ki Nabalu , Ki meaning "have" or "exist", and Nabalu meaning "spirit of the dead". The word kota comes from Malay word kota which in turn comes from the Sanskrit word कोट्ट (kota) which means fort, fortress, castle, fortified house, fortification, works, city, town, or place encircled by walls. It
4600-474: Is also a sizeable Cantonese-speaking population and smaller communities of Hokkien and Fuzhounese -speaking Chinese scattered throughout all areas of the city. Most of the Fuzhounese speakers in particular emigrated to Sabah from the neighbouring Malaysian state of Sarawak. Kota Kinabalu is home to a diverse range of indigenous groups. The Kadazans , who predominantly come from Penampang and Papar, and
4784-435: Is also used formally in a few other Malaysian towns and cities, for example, Kota Bharu , Kota Tinggi , and Kota Kemuning . It can also be used informally to refer to any towns or cities. Hence, a direct translation of the name Kota Kinabalu into English would be "City of Kinabalu" or "Kinabalu City". Besides Jesselton, there are also other older names for Kota Kinabalu. The most popular is Api-Api , or simply Api , which
4968-549: Is believed that many of his followers in addition to other Chinese traders eventually settled and established their own enclave at Kinabatangan River . In the 14th century, Brunei and Sulu were part of the Majapahit Empire but in 1369, Sulu and the other Philippine kingdoms successfully rebelled and Sulu even attacked Brunei which was still a Majapahit tributary , the Sulus specifically invaded Northeast Borneo at Sabah
5152-511: Is completed. The Kota Kinabalu Ferry Service operates from a passenger ferry terminal located at Jesselton Point, providing ferry and motorboat services to nearby islands. There are also regular scheduled ferry services to Labuan . The Kota Kinabalu Court Complex is located along Kebajikan Road. It contains three High Courts , six Magistrates' courts , six Sessions Courts including the Child Sexual Offence Court and
5336-482: Is defined within the borders of what is the district , formerly the municipality, of Kota Kinabalu. With an area of 351 square kilometres, it is the smallest but the most populous district in Sabah. It encompasses Tanjung Aru and Kepayan in the south, up to Telipok and Sepanggar in the north. The urban expanse of the city however extends into the district of Penampang on the south of the city border, which includes
5520-627: Is extracted. Sabah (صباح) is also an Arabic word which means "morning". It is nicknamed "Land Below the Wind" (Negeri Di Bawah Bayu in Malay language or Pogun Siriba do Tongus in Kadazandusun language ) as the state lies below the typhoon belt of East Asia and is not often hit by typhoons. The earliest known human settlement in the region existed 20,000–30,000 years ago, as evidenced by stone tools and food remains found by excavations along
5704-598: Is formed through the eruption of mud volcano in 1897. The island is now part of the Tiga Island National Park together with Kalampunian Besar and Kalampunian Damit islands as a tourist attractions, with a mud bath tourism. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park is a group of five islands of Gaya , Manukan , Mamutik, Sapi and Sulug . These islands are believed to once connected to the Crocker Range but separated when sea levels rose since
Kota Kinabalu - Misplaced Pages Continue
5888-490: Is gazetted as a forest reserve, while Boheydulang as a bird sanctuary . These islands are formed by Quaternary pyroclastic material that was ejected during explosive volcanic activities. The Tawau Hills National Park established as a natural water catchment area. The park contains rugged volcanic landscapes including a hot spring and spectacular waterfalls. Bordering the Philippine Turtle Islands
6072-473: Is growing steadily and the urban sprawl extends to the towns of Inanam , Menggatal , Sepanggar , Telipok and south of the district border to Penampang , Putatan , and Lok Kawi . Kota Kinabalu is generally isolated from the rest of the country; it is located about 1,624 kilometres (1,009 mi) from Kuala Lumpur in Peninsular Malaysia and 804 kilometres (500 mi) from Kuching in
6256-401: Is largely inhabited by Kadazans and Bruneian Malays. The Brunei Malays and Bajau are Muslims . The Kadazan-Dusuns, Muruts, Rungus and Lundayeh/Lun Bawang mainly practice Folk forms of Christianity, Islam, or Animism, whilst the Chinese are mainly Buddhists , Taoist or Christians. There are numerous Roman Catholic, Basel (Lutheran), Anglican, Evangelical, and Methodist churches throughout
6440-552: Is located along Lorong Dewan near Gaya Street, and the marine police headquarters is located near the city ferry terminal along Tun Razak Road . Kota Kinabalu Central Prison is located in Kepayan . There are three public hospitals , six publics health clinic , two child and mother health clinics, six village clinics, one mobile clinic and six 1Malaysia clinics in Kota Kinabalu. Queen Elizabeth General Hospital , which
6624-526: Is located along Penampang Road and named after Queen Elizabeth II , is the largest public hospital in the state with 589 beds. Built in 1957, it is the most important healthcare centre in the city and one of three general hospitals in Sabah. Queen Elizabeth Hospital II was established then after the acquisition of the former building of Sabah Medical Centre (SMC) in 2009. The second main government hospital are mainly used for heart centre. Hospital Wanita dan Kanak-kanak (Sabah Women and Children Hospital) serves as
6808-463: Is located in a tropical geography with equatorial climate . It experiences two monsoon seasons of northeast and southwest. The northeast monsoon occurs from November to March with heavy rains, while the southwest monsoon prevails from May to September with less rainfall. It also received two inter-monsoon season from April to May and September to October. The average daily temperature varies from 27 °C (81 °F) to 34 °C (93 °F), with
6992-570: Is located north of the National Park opposite Sepanggar Bay . Flat land is at a premium in the city centre, and there is a strict limit to the height of buildings: the airport is 7 km (4 mi) away, and the city is directly in the flight path. Most of the Central Business District (CBD) today is built on land reclaimed from the sea. The original local plant life has largely disappeared, but several hills within
7176-472: Is one of the main gateways into Sabah and East Malaysia. In addition to domestic flights within Sabah and Malaysia, KKIA is also serviced by international flights to several cities in southeast and northeast Asia, as well as Perth in Australia. Kota Kinabalu has two ports: Kota Kinabalu Port and Sepanggar Bay Container Port (SBCP). Kota Kinabalu Port mainly handles loose/bulk cargo, while SBCP operates as
7360-590: Is the Crocker Range with several mountains varying height from about 1,000 metres to 4,000 metres. Adjacent to the Crocker Range is the Trus Madi Range with Mount Trus Madi , with a height of 2,642 metres. The highest peak is the Mount Kinabalu , with a height around 4,095 metres. It is one of the highest peak between the Himalayas and New Guinea . While located not far from Mount Kinabalu
7544-596: Is the Turtle Islands National Park , it consists of three islands of Selingaan, Bakkungan Kechil and Gulisaan which is notable as the nesting place for green turtle and hawksbill sea turtle . Other important wildlife regions in Sabah include the Maliau Basin , Danum Valley , Tabin , Imbak Canyon and Sepilok . These places are either designated as national parks, wildlife reserves, virgin jungle reserves, or protection forest reserve. Beyond
Kota Kinabalu - Misplaced Pages Continue
7728-556: Is the chief minister and his Cabinet . The government system is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system and has one of the earliest state legislature systems in Malaysia. Sabah is divided into five administrative divisions and 27 districts. Malay is the official language of the state; and Islam is the state religion, but other religions may be practised. Sabah is known for its traditional musical instrument,
7912-487: The 1994 state election , despite PBS winning the elections, subsequent cross-overs of PBS assembly members to the BN component party resulted in BN having the majority of seats and hence took over the helm of the state government. A unique feature of Sabah politics was a policy initiated by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in 1994 whereby the chief minister's post is rotated among the coalition parties every two years regardless of
8096-653: The Anglo-Malayan Defence Agreement (AMDA) if fighting broke out. In addition, a large flotilla of British warships would sail to Philippines waters near Sabah en route from Singapore along with the participation of ANZUS forces. The AMDA treaty have since been replaced by the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) although the present treaty does not include East Malaysian states as its main priority, British security protection intervention can still be included over
8280-621: The British North Borneo Company . It was built for the main purpose of transporting commodities from the Interior Division to the port in Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu) during the period of British rule. The railway line connects Tanjung Aru in Kota Kinabalu to Tenom and several other towns in between, and it is the only railway system operating in East Malaysia . Today, the railway line is known as
8464-808: The Castilian War of 1578, the Spanish who had sailed from New Spain and had taken Manila from Brunei, unsuccessfully declared war on Brunei by briefly occupying the capital before abandoning it. The Sulu region gained its independence in 1578, forming the Sultanate of Sulu . When the civil war broke out in Brunei between sultans Abdul Hakkul Mubin and Muhyiddin , the Sultan of Sulu asserted their claim to Brunei's territories in northern Borneo. The Sulus claimed that Sultan Muhyiddin had promised to cede
8648-729: The Darvel Bay area at Madai-Baturong caves near the Tingkayu River. The earliest inhabitants in the area were thought to be similar to Aboriginal Australians , but the reason for their disappearance is unknown. In 2003, archaeologists discovered the Mansuli valley in the Lahad Datu District , which dates back 235,000 years. The archaeological site at Skull Hill ( Bukit Tengkorak ) in Semporna District
8832-697: The Darvel Bay area at the Madai-Baturong caves. The state has had a trading relationship with China starting from the 14th century AD. Sabah came under the influence of the Bruneian Empire in the 14th and 15th centuries. The state was subsequently acquired by the British North Borneo Chartered Company in the 19th century. During World War II , Sabah was occupied by the Japanese for three years. It became
9016-649: The Democratic Action Party (DAP) and People's Justice Party (PKR) of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition. On 9 May 2018, this coalition and the Barisan Nasional ended in a tie. However, as six BN elected representatives crossed over to WARISAN, and after a short-lived constitutional crisis, a coalition of WARISAN, DAP and PKR formed a majority government on 12 May 2018 and became effective since that day. In conjunction with
9200-597: The Dusuns , from the west coast and the interior of Sabah, are among the largest groups. The Bajaus , originally from Tuaran and Kota Belud, also have a significant presence in the city, along with other Bajau communities from various coastal regions of Sabah. The Malay population in Kota Kinabalu is primarily descended from Bruneian Malays , with smaller communities from the Malay Peninsula and Sarawak. Additionally, there are several other indigenous groups, including
9384-555: The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) and Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE) following the infiltration of militants, illegal immigrants and smuggling of goods and subsidies items into and from the southern Philippines and Indonesia. Sabah has had several territorial disputes with neighbouring Indonesia and the Philippines. In 2002, both Malaysia and Indonesia submitted to arbitration by
SECTION 50
#17327733842589568-487: The Federation of Malaya formed the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, it became known as Sabah, and Jesselton remained its capital. On 22 December 1967, the State Legislative Assembly under Chief Minister Mustapha Harun passed a bill renaming Jesselton as Kota Kinabalu. The city was upgraded to city status on 2 February 2000. Being the capital city of Sabah, Kota Kinabalu plays an important role in
9752-470: The German government . The sultanate authorised Schuck to establish a trading port to monopolise the rattan trade in the northeast coast, where Schuck could operate freely, without the Spanish blockade. He continued this operation until this land also was ceded to Overbeck, with the Sultan receiving an annual payment of $ 5,000, by a treaty signed in 1878. After a series of transfers, Overbeck tried to sell
9936-636: The Jabidah massacre in Corregidor Island , Philippines. As a consequence, this led the Malaysian government to once supporting the insurgency in southern Philippines . Although the Philippine claim to Sabah has not been actively pursued for some years, some Filipino politicians have promised to bring it up again, while the Malaysian government have asked the Philippines not to threaten ties over such issue. To further discourage pursuit of
10120-476: The Jesselton Revolt but they were eventually defeated by the Japanese. After the war, BNBC was unable to finance the high cost of reconstructions and the place was ceded to the British Crown Colony . The British Crown declared Jesselton as the new capital of North Borneo in 1946 and started to rebuild the town. After the formation of Malaysia, North Borneo was renamed as Sabah. In 1967, Jesselton
10304-589: The Jesselton Revolt . As part of the Borneo campaign to retake the territory, Allied forces bombed most of the major towns under Japanese control, including Sandakan, which was razed to the ground. The Japanese ran a brutal prisoner of war camp known as Sandakan camp . The majority of the POWs were British and Australian soldiers captured after the fall of Malaya and Singapore . The prisoners suffered inhuman conditions, and amidst continuous Allied bombardments,
10488-642: The Kota Kinabalu City Hall (Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu). The current mayor of Kota Kinabalu is Sabin Samitah, who became the latest mayor after taking over the post from Noorliza Awang Alip on 1 January 2024. Iliyas in turn became the second mayor of the city after taking over from Abdul Ghani Rashid in 2006. The city obtained city status on 2 February 2000, and prior to this it was administered by Majlis Perbandaran Kota Kinabalu (Kota Kinabalu Municipal Council/Kota Kinabalu Town Hall). The city
10672-434: The Murut , Suluk , Sungai , Lun Bawang/Lundayeh , Bisaya , Illanun , Kedayan , Ida'an and Rungus , who have relocated to the city for socio-economic opportunities from different parts of the state. Penampang district is populated mainly by Kadazans, while Bajaus and Dusuns mainly reside in Likas, Sembulan, Inanam, Menggatal, Sepanggar and Telipok. In Tuaran, both Dusun and Bajau communities are prominent, while Papar
10856-408: The Nullarbor Plain , a 600-mile (970 km) wide semi-arid, treeless plain, becoming the first women to cycle across it. The pair soon gained publicity, becoming known as "the girl cyclists", and were featured in several Movietone News films. Suart and Duncan slept either out in the open in sleeping bags, or in lodgings they were offered by friendly locals. They did not have to pay for food for
11040-409: The Second World War , and later invaded the rest of northern Borneo. From 1942 to 1945, Japanese forces occupied North Borneo, along with most of the rest of the island, as part of the Empire of Japan . The British saw Japanese advances in the area as motivated by political and territorial ambitions rather than economic factors. The residing British and the locals were compelled to obey and gave in to
11224-411: The Sino-Japanese War in mainland China. Local Chinese formed a resistance, known as the Kinabalu Guerillas, led by Albert Kwok , with broad support from various ethnic groups in northern Borneo such as Dusun , Murut, Suluk and Illanun peoples. The movement was also supported by Mustapha Harun . Kwok along with many other sympathisers were, however, executed after the Japanese foiled their movement in
SECTION 60
#173277338425811408-405: The Sulu Archipelago , as far as Kota Seludong (present-day Manila ) with its influence extending as far of Banjarmasin , taking advantage of maritime trade after the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese . Many Brunei Malays migrated to Sabah during this period, beginning after the Bruneian conquest of the territory in the 15th century. But plagued by internal strife, civil war, piracy and
11592-418: The Sunda Plate with a compression from the Australian and Philippine Plate , it is prone to earthquake with the state itself have experienced three major earthquakes since 1923, with the 2015 earthquake being the latest major earthquake. The Crocker Ranges together with Mount Kinabalu was formed since during the middle Miocene period after being uplifted by the Sabah Orogeny through compression. There
11776-413: The Western Line and managed by the Sabah State Railway , providing daily services for commuters, travellers, as well as for cargo transportation. A separate company operates the leisure tour also called the North Borneo Railway , which caters mainly for tourists. This antique steam train service only running on Saturday and Wednesday mornings from Tanjung Aru station to Kinarut station before returning to
11960-402: The Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 among others. Under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment, any persons hunting inside conservation lands are liable for imprisonment for five years and fined with RM 50,000. The state government also plans to implement seasonal huntings as part of its conservation efforts to prevent the continuous lose of its endangered wildlife species while maintaining
12144-419: The arrival of western powers , the Bruneian Empire began to shrink. The first Europeans to visit Brunei were the Portuguese, who described the capital of Brunei at the time as surrounded by a stone wall . The Spanish followed, arriving soon after Ferdinand Magellan 's death in 1521, when the remaining members of his expedition sailed to the islands of Balambangan and Banggi in the northern tip Borneo; later, in
12328-484: The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki . After the Japanese surrender, North Borneo was administered by the British Military Administration and on 15 July 1946 became a British Crown colony . The Crown Colony of Labuan was integrated into this new colony. During the ceremony, both the Union Jack and Flag of the Republic of China were raised from the bullet-ridden Jesselton Survey Hall building. The Chinese were represented by Philip Lee who had been part of
12512-399: The earlier migrants have been naturalised as Malaysian citizens. However, there are still some Filipinos living in the city without proper documentation as illegal immigrants . The majority of Filipino migrants in the city come from the southern Philippines and the Sulu Archipelago , with notable communities of Chavacano speakers and Bangsamoro background. Additionally, there is
12696-406: The sompoton . Sabah has abundant natural resources, and its economy is strongly export-oriented . Its primary exports include oil, gas, timber and palm oil . The other major industries are agriculture and ecotourism . The origin of the name Sabah is uncertain, and many theories have arisen. One theory is that when it was part of the Bruneian Sultanate , it was referred to as Saba because of
12880-399: The 15th century, the area of Kota Kinabalu was under the influence of Bruneian Empire . Historically, the Kadazandusuns called the area by the name of Dondoung. In the 19th century, the British North Borneo Company (BNBC) first set up a settlement near the Gaya Island . However, it was destroyed by fire in 1897 by a local leader named Mat Salleh . In July 1899, the place located opposite to
13064-402: The 20 million hectares equatorial rainforests demarcated under the " Heart of Borneo " initiative. The forests surrounding the river valley of Kinabatangan River is the largest forest-covered floodplain in Malaysia. The Crocker Range National Park is the largest national park in the state, covering an area of 139,919 hectares. Most of the park area are covered in dense forest and important as
13248-598: The British freed Sultan Alimuddin of Sulu from the Spanish and allowed him to return to his throne; this was welcomed by the Sulu people and by 1765, Dalrymple managed to obtain Balambangan Island off the north coast of Borneo, having concluded a Treaty of Alliance and Commerce with the Sultan Alimuddin as a sign of gratitude for the British aid. A small British factory was then established in 1773 on
13432-533: The Constitution of Malaysia states that the Malaysian federal government is solely responsible for foreign policy and military forces in the country. Before the formation of Malaysia, North Borneo security was the responsibility of Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand . In the wake of threats of "annexation" from the Philippines after President Ferdinand Marcos signed a bill by including Sabah as part
13616-540: The Gaya Island was identified as a suitable place for settlements. Development in the area was started soon after that; and the place was named "Api-api" before it was renamed after Sir Charles Jessel , the vice-chairman of BNBC, as "Jesselton". Jesselton became a major trading port in the area, and was connected to the North Borneo Railway . Jesselton was largely destroyed during World War II . The Japanese occupation of Jesselton provoked several local uprisings notably
13800-685: The ICJ on a territorial dispute over the Ligitan and Sipadan islands which were later won by Malaysia. There are also several other disputes yet to be settled with Indonesia over the overlapping claims on the Ambalat continental shelf in the Celebes Sea and land border dispute between Sabah and North Kalimantan . Malaysia's claim over a portion of the Spratly Islands is also based on sharing
13984-603: The IMO. Its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is much larger towards the South China Sea and Celebes Sea than to the Sulu Sea. The state coastline is covered with mangrove and nipah forests. The mangroves cover about 331,325 hectares of the state land and constitute 57% of the total mangroves in the country. Both coastal areas in the west coast and east coast are entirely dominating by sand beaches, while in sheltered areas
14168-484: The Japanese during the occupation, only 1,500 survived mainly due to starvation, harsh working conditions and maltreatment. In March 1945, Australian forces launched Operation Agas to gather intelligence in the region and launch guerrilla warfare against the Japanese. The Australian Imperial Forces initiated the Battle of North Borneo on 10 June 1945. Japan's remaining forces surrendered on September 2 1945, following
14352-486: The Japanese forced them to marchto Ranau , about 260 kilometres (160 mi) away, in an event known as the Sandakan Death March . The number of prisoners were reduced to 2,345, with many of them killed en route either by friendly fire or by the Japanese. Only six of the several hundred Australian prisoners lived to see the war's end. In addition, of the total of 17,488 Javanese labourers brought in by
14536-670: The Madrid High Court of Justice", and sentenced to six months in prison. The Philippine claim can be originated based on three historical events; such as the Brunei Civil War from 1660 until 1673, treaty between Dutch East Indies and the Bulungan Sultanate in 1850 and treaty between Sultan Jamal ul-Azam with Overbeck in 1878. Further attempts by several Filipino politicians such as Ferdinand Marcos to "destabilise" Sabah proved to be futile and led to
14720-549: The Malaysian federal government, and Labuan became a federal territory on 16 April 1984. In 2000, the state capital Kota Kinabalu was granted city status , making it the 6th city in Malaysia and the first city in the state. Prior to a territorial dispute between Indonesia and Malaysia since 1969 over two islands of Ligitan and Sipadan in the Celebes Sea , the International Court of Justice (ICJ) made
14904-464: The Malaysian government halted the payments after this incident. As a result, the self-proclaimed Sulu heirs pursued this case for legal arbitration vis-a-vis the original commercial deal. Since then, the Sulu claimants have been accused of “forum shopping”. In 2017, the heirs showed their intention to start arbitration in Spain and asked for $ 32.2 billion in compensation. In 2019, Malaysia responded for
15088-400: The Philippines. In 2016, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak have agreed to set aside the two countries' dispute over Sabah for the meantime. The total land area of Sabah is nearly 73,904 square kilometres (28,534 sq mi) surrounded by the South China Sea in the west, Sulu Sea in the northeast and Celebes Sea in the southeast. Sabah has
15272-606: The Republic of the Philippines on its maritime baselines in the Act of Congress on 18 September 1968, the British responds in the next day by sending their Hawker Hunter fighter-bomber jets to Kota Kinabalu with the jets stopped over at the Clark Air Base not far from the Philippines capital of Manila. British Army senior officer Michael Carver then reminded the Philippines that Britain would honour its obligations under
15456-507: The Southwest Monsoon occurs between May and September. There are also two successive inter-monsoons from April to May and from September to October. During the 1995–2004 period, Kota Kinabalu's average temperature ranges from 26 °C (79 °F) to 28 °C (82 °F). April and May are the hottest months, while January is the coolest one. The average annual rainfall is around 2,400 millimetres and varies markedly throughout
15640-531: The Sultan of Sulu’s heirs, who then attempted to enforce the award against Malaysian state-owned assets around the world. It is noteworthy that on 27 June 2023, the Hague Court of Appeal dismissed the Sulus’ bid and ruled in favor of the Malaysian government, which hailed the decision as a "landmark victory". In 2024 Stampa was convicted of contempt of court for "knowingly disobeying rulings and orders from
15824-550: The Sulu Archipelago and started settling on the coasts of north and eastern Borneo, many of them fleeing from the oppression of Spanish colonialism . While the thalassocratic Brunei and Sulu sultanates controlled the western and eastern coasts of Sabah respectively, the interior region remained largely independent from either kingdoms. The Sultanate of Bulungan 's influence was limited to the Tawau area, which came under
16008-675: The Sulus were then repelled but Brunei became weakened. In 1370, Brunei transferred its allegiance to Ming dynasty China. The Maharaja Karna of Borneo then paid a visit to Nanjing with his family until his death. He was succeeded by his son Hsia-wang who agreed to send tribute to China once every three years. After that, Chinese junks came to northern Borneo with cargoes of spices, bird nests , shark fins, camphor , rattan and pearls . More Chinese traders eventually settled in Kinabatangan, as stated in both Brunei and Sulu records. A younger sister of Ong Sum Ping (Huang Senping),
16192-645: The Temenggong received a sum of 3,000. In 1872, the Sultanate of Sulu granted use of an area of land in the Sandakan Bay to William Frederick Schuck, a former agent of the German consular service who had lived on the Sulu island of Jolo since 1864. The arrival of German warship Nymph at the Sulu Sea in 1872 to investigate the Sulu-Spanish conflict made the sultanate believe Schuck was connected with
16376-674: The UK. Brian died in 1990, and Suart continued to travel the world after his death, visiting Antarctica , Bhutan , Tierra del Fuego , Bulgaria , the Amazon , Yangtze and Irrawaddy rivers, China, Borneo , Hong Kong and Russia among others. In 2007 Suart featured on the BBC Radio 4 travel programme Excess Baggage , discussing her bicycle ride. A keen pianist, Suart played regularly at an antiques warehouse in Hampshire. She released
16560-654: The US government proved futile and the settlement was later abandoned. Before he left, Torrey managed to sell all his rights to the Austrian Consul in Hong Kong, Gustav von Overbeck . Overbeck then went to Brunei, where he met the Temenggong to renew the concession . Brunei agreed to cede all territory in northern Borneo under its control, with the Sultan receiving an annual payment of 12,000 Spanish dollars , while
16744-409: The brutality of the Japanese. The occupation drove many people from coastal towns to the interior, fleeing the Japanese and seeking food. The Malays generally appeared to be favoured by the Japanese, although some of them faced repression, whilst other groups such as the Chinese and indigenous peoples were severely repressed. The Chinese were already resisting the Japanese occupation, especially with
16928-494: The capital of North Borneo instead of Sandakan , which had also been destroyed by the war. The Crown Colony administration designed a plan, later known as the "Colonial Office Reconstruction and Development Plan for North Borneo: 1948–1955", to rebuild North Borneo. This plan provided £ 6,051,939 for the rebuilding of infrastructure in North Borneo. When the Crown Colony of North Borneo together with Sarawak , Singapore and
17112-496: The celebration of Malaysia Day in 2018 under the new government, Prime Minister Mahathir has promised to restore Sabah (together with Sarawak) status as an equal partner to Malaya who together forming the Malaysian federation in accordance to the Malaysia Agreement. However, through the process of the proposed amendment to the Constitution of Malaysia in 2019, the first bill for the amendment failed to pass following
17296-441: The cession of Labuan island to federal government by the Sabah state government under BERJAYA rule and unequal sharing and exploitation of Sabah's resources of petroleum have become grievances often raised by Sabahans, which has resulted in strong anti-federal sentiments and even occasional call for secession from the federation amongst the people of Sabah. Those who spread secession agenda often landed in law enforcement hand due to
17480-562: The city ( Papar , Beaufort , Sipitang , Limbang etc.). A third bus terminal, the North Kota Kinabalu Bus Terminal in Inanam district, services intercity buses heading towards destinations north and north-east of the city ( Ranau , Sandakan , Lahad Datu, Tawau , Semporna etc.). Taxis are available throughout the city. A railway system formerly known as the North Borneo Railway was established in 1896 by
17664-550: The city (too steep for building) are still clothed with tropical rainforest . One of these is Signal Hill, which confines the CBD to the shore. In the area of Likas Bay, the remnants of an extensive mangrove forest was nearly lost. In 1996, the state government declared 24 acres (9.7 ha) of the forest as a protected area. This forest is now known as the Kota Kinabalu City Bird Sanctuary . The sanctuary
17848-429: The city centre or central business district near the sea facing Gaya Island. On the other end of the scale, it may also refer to the metropolitan area which includes urban Kota Kinabalu (Greater Kota Kinabalu), and the surrounding towns of Papar and Kinarut in the south, and Tuaran and Tamparuli in the north, being within its zone of influence. Kota Kinabalu is located on the west coast of Sabah. The city lies on
18032-469: The city its name, is located to its east. Kota Kinabalu has a population of 452,058 according to the 2010 census; when the adjacent Penampang and Tuaran districts are included, the metro area has a combined population of 628,725. The 2020 Census revealed an increase in the municipal population to 500,421, while the wider area including the Penampang and Putatan districts had a population of 731,406. In
18216-527: The city's industrial and commercial activity, making it a major growth centre in East Malaysia, as well for the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area) region. The internal roads linking different parts of the city are generally state roads constructed and maintained by the state's Public Works Department . Most major internal roads are dual-carriageways . One of
18400-509: The city. A small number of Hindus , Sikhs , Animists , and secularists can also be found. The Census 2020 Report showed an increase to 500,421 inhabitants. There is also a sizeable Filipino population in the city. The first wave of migrants arrived in the late 15th century during the Spanish colonisation , while a later wave arrived in the early 1970s, driven away from the Philippines by political and economic uncertainties there. Most of
18584-827: The city. Among the well-established and prestigious boarding schools in Sabah is Sekolah Menengah Sains Sabah , formally known as Sekolah Berasrama Penuh Sabah (SBPS), which was in Bukit Padang, currently located at Tuaran district, Sabah. Other secondary schools are KK High School , SM La Salle, Sekolah Menengah Shan Tao, Sekolah Menengah Taman Tun Fuad, Sekolah Menengah Likas, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Perempuan Likas, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan St. Francis Convent, Sekolah Menengah All Saints, Sekolah Menengah Stella Maris, Sekolah Menengah Saint Michael , Maktab Sabah , Sekolah Menengah Lok Yuk, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Kota Kinabalu and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Ahmadshah . There are independent private schools in
18768-500: The city. Among them are Sabah Tshung Tsin Secondary School , Kian Kok Middle School , Maktab Nasional and Seri Insan Secondary School. Sabah Sabah ( Malay pronunciation: [ˈsabah] ) is a state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo , in the region of East Malaysia . Sabah has land borders with the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and Indonesia 's North Kalimantan province to
18952-461: The city. Kota Kinabalu is also one of the major industrial and commercial centres of East Malaysia . These two factors combine to make Kota Kinabalu one of the fastest-growing cities in Malaysia. Kota Kinabalu is named after Mount Kinabalu , which is situated about 50 kilometres east-northeast of the city. Kinabalu is derived from the name Aki Nabalu meaning the "revered place of the dead." Aki means "ancestors" or "grandfather", and Nabalu
19136-468: The city. More recently, the number of expatriates living in the city, whether temporarily or permanently, have also increased. Most of them come from China, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Taiwan and Europe. Interracial marriages are not uncommon and Kadazan-Chinese intermarriages are particularly common. The mixed race offspring of Kadazan and Chinese are referred to as Sino-Kadazans or simply "Sinos". The people of Kota Kinabalu mainly speak Malay , with
19320-406: The city. Some examples are Lintasan Deasoka, Api-Api Centre and Singgah Mata Street. Since the 15th century, the area of what is now Kota Kinabalu came under the influence of the Bruneian Empire . In the late 1800s, the British North Borneo Company (BNBC) began to establish colonial settlements throughout North Borneo . In 1882, BNBC founded a small settlement in the area known as Gaya Bay, which
19504-560: The claim the Malaysian government passed a barter trade ban, at the behest of the Royal Malaysia Police and the Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister , between Malaysia and the Philippines as it was seen to only benefit one side while threatening the security of the state. The ban was positively received by many Sabahans, although there was opposition from other political parties as well as from
19688-534: The coasts of Sabah lie a number of islands rich with coral reefs such as Ligitan, Sipadan, Selingaan, Tiga and Layang-Layang (Swallow Reef). Other main islands including the Jambongan , Timbun Mata , Bum Bum and the divided Sebatik . The Sabah state government has enacted several laws to protect its forests and endangered wildlife species under the Animals Ordinance 1962, Forest Enactment 1968 and
19872-453: The company allowing indigenous communities to continue their traditional lifestyles, but imposing laws against headhunting , ethnic feuds , slave trade , and piracy. North Borneo then became a protectorate of the United Kingdom in 1888 despite facing local resistance from 1894 to 1900 by Mat Salleh and Antanum in 1915. The Japanese forces landed in Labuan on 3 January 1942, during
20056-490: The controversial ISA act, such as 1991 Sabah political arrests . Until the 2008 Malaysian general election , Sabah along with the states of Kelantan and Terengganu , were the only three states in Malaysia that had ever been ruled by opposition parties not part of the ruling BN coalition. Under Joseph Pairin Kitingan , PBS formed the state government after winning the 1985 state election and ruled Sabah until 1994. In
20240-503: The counterclaims of the Sultan of Sulu, part of whose territory in the Sulu Archipelago had been occupied by Spain. Overbeck, however, withdrew in 1879 and his treaty rights were transferred to Alfred Dent, who in 1881 formed the North Borneo Provisional Association Ltd to administer the territory. In the following year, Kudat was made its capital but due to frequent pirate attacks, the capital
20424-447: The dreadful post-war conditions there. Instead, they opted for what they thought would be a six-month trip around Australia. They prepared themselves by cycling round Victoria, to Adelaide and around Tasmania. They set off on their single-speed Malvern Stars (they received sponsorship from the company) in 1946. It took the pair a year to reach Queensland , and they then went on to Darwin and then south to Adelaide . They then crossed
20608-855: The east coast located the Kinabatangan River, which is the second-longest river in Malaysia after Rajang River in Sarawak with a length of 560 kilometres. The river begins from the western ranges and snakes its way through the central region towards the east coast out into the Sulu Sea. Other major rivers including the Kalabakan River, Kolopis River , Liwagu River, Padas River, Paitan River, Segama River and Sugut River, in addition to Babagon River, Bengkoka River, Kadamaian River, Kalumpang River, Kiulu River, Mawao River, Membakut River, Mesapol River, Nabawan River, Papar River, Pensiangan River, Tamparuli River and Wario River. The land of Sabah
20792-421: The eastern region of Sabah. This Lahad Datu incident resulted in the deaths of 52 members of the Sulu group and eight Malaysian police officers. Before this incident, Malaysia continued to pay an annual cession payment amounting to roughly $ 1,000 to the indirect heirs of the Sultan honoring an 1878 agreement, where North Borneo – today’s Sabah – was conceded by the Sultan of Sulu to a British company. However,
20976-432: The economy is slowly diminishing. More recently, a move towards a more tertiary-based industry has become more apparent, especially with regards to the boom in the tourism industry. Many state-level, national-level and international commercial banks, as well as some insurance companies have their headquarters or branches here. The overseas Chinese population also contributes to the development of KK since their immigration in
21160-503: The elimination of insurgents, an Eastern Sabah Security Command was established. Sabah (together with its neighbour Sarawak) has a greater level of autonomy in administration, immigration, and judiciary which differentiates it from the Malaysian Peninsula states. The Yang di-Pertua Negeri is the head of state although its functions are largely ceremonial. Next in the hierarchy are the state legislative assembly and
21344-463: The factory. Although an attempt was made in 1803 to turn Balambangan into a military station, the British did not re-establish any further trading posts in the region until Stamford Raffles founded Singapore in 1819. In 1846, the Sultan of Brunei ceded the island of Labuan on the west coast of Sabah to Britain through the Treaty of Labuan , and in 1848 it became a British Crown Colony . Seeing
21528-551: The failure to reach two-thirds majority support (148 votes) in the Parliament with only 138 agreed with the move while 59 abstained from the voting. Subsequently, a second bill for the amendment was tabled in 2021 and was passed unanimously by the Malaysian Parliament. Sabah consists of five administrative divisions, which are in turn divided into 27 districts. For each district, the state government appoints
21712-485: The federal government. Legislation regarding state elections is within the powers of the federal government and not the state. The assembly meets at the state capital, Kota Kinabalu. Members of the state assembly are elected from 73 constituencies which are delineated by the Election Commission of Malaysia and do not necessarily have the same voter population sizes. A general election for representatives in
21896-598: The federal government; declaring that in return Sabahans would pledge their loyalty to the Malaysian federal government. An oath stone was officiated by Donald Stephens on 31 August 1964 in Keningau as a remembrance to the agreement and promise for reference in the future. Sabah held its first state election in 1967. In the same year, the name of the state capital was changed from "Jesselton" to " Kota Kinabalu ". An airplane crash on 6 June 1976 killed Stephens along with four other state cabinet ministers. On 14 June 1976,
22080-644: The federation. Subsequently, North Borneo legislative assembly agreed on the formation of Malaysia on the conditions that North Borneo's rights would be safeguarded. North Borneo then entered Malaysia as an autonomous state with autonomous laws in immigration control and Native Customary Rights (NCR), and the territory name was changed to "Sabah". However, under the administration of the United Sabah National Organisation (USNO) led by Mustapha Harun, this autonomy has been gradually eroded with federal government influence and hegemony with
22264-416: The first time. The attorney general at the time offered to start making yearly payments again and to pay 48,000 Malaysian ringgit (about $ 10,400) for past dues and interest, but only if the heirs gave up their claim. The heirs did not accept this offer and the case, led by Spanish arbiter Gonzalo Stampa , continued without Malaysia being involved. In February 2022, Gonzalo Stampa awarded US$ 14.9 billion to
22448-521: The first two and a half years of their trip. They washed their clothes in creeks and dried them on a washing line strung between the two bicycles as they cycled along. They took a variety of jobs to finance their trip, including canning fruit in a factory, selling sandwiches from their bikes during the wet season, helping on a cattle station and being mannequins at a large city store. They finally returned to Melbourne in April 1949, where they were greeted by
22632-481: The former station. In 2016, the Tanjung Aru railway station was moved to Aeropod with a new terminal and more public facilities. Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) (ICAO Code : WBKK, IATA Code: BKI) is a main hub for Malaysia Airlines and a secondary hub for AirAsia and MASwings . It has one terminal and is the second busiest airport in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur International Airport and
22816-409: The four parliamentary constituencies in the city: Sepanggar ( P.171 ), Kota Kinabalu ( P.172 ), Putatan ( P.173 ), Tuaran ("P.176") and Penampang ( P.174 ). The city also elects 9 representatives to the state legislature from the state assembly districts of Karambunai, Inanam, Likas, Api-Api, Luyang, Tanjung Aru, Petagas, Kepayan, Segama, Menggatal, Tuaran, Lido, and Moyog. The city is administered by
23000-434: The government, includes Karamunsing, the port area (Tanjung Lipat), Signal Hill, Kampung Air, Sinsuran, Segama, Asia City, Gaya Street (Old Town), Bandaran Berjaya, Api-Api, Sutera Harbour and Sembulan. Outlying neighbourhoods and residential suburbs include Kepayan Ridge, Tanjung Aru, Petagas, Kepayan, Lido, Lintas, Nosoob, Bukit Padang, Luyang, Damai, Lok Kawi, Bukit Bendera, Kasigui, Bundusan, Likas and Kolombong. The city
23184-624: The governor of the Chinese settlement then married Sultan Ahmad of Brunei . Perhaps due to this relationship, a burial place with 2,000 wooden coffins, some estimated to be 1,000 years old, were discovered in Agop Batu Tulug Caves and around the Kinabatangan Valley area. It is believed that this type of funeral culture was brought by traders from Mainland China and Indochina to northern Borneo as similar wooden coffins were also discovered in these countries. This
23368-609: The influence of the Sulu Sultanate before gaining its own rule after the 1878 treaty between the British and Spanish governments. In 1761, Alexander Dalrymple , an officer of the British East India Company , concluded an agreement with the Sultan of Sulu to allow him to set up a trading post in northern Borneo, although this was to prove a failure. Following the British occupation of Manila in 1763,
23552-605: The island. The British saw the island as a suitable location to control the trade route in the East, capable of diverting trade from the Spanish port of Manila and the Dutch port of Batavia especially with its strategic location between the South China Sea and Sulu Sea . But the British abandoned the island two years later when Sulu pirates began attacking. This forced the British to seek refuge in Brunei in 1774, and to temporarily abandon their attempts to find alternative sites for
23736-539: The largest group in the city with 110,556 people followed by Chinese (93,429), Bajau (72,931), Kadazan-Dusun (69,993), other Bumiputras (59,107), Malay (35,835), Murut (2,518), Indian (2,207) and others (5,482). The Chinese are mostly Hakkas and reside mainly in the Luyang area as well as in Likas and Damai neighbourhoods with significant populations in other suburbs such as Manggatal, Inanam and Telipok. There
23920-499: The last ice age . The Tun Mustapha Marine Park is the largest marine park located in the north of Sabah. It covers the three major islands of Banggi , Balambangan and Malawali . Another marine park is the Tun Sakaran Marine Park located in the south-east of Sabah. The park comprising the islands of Bodgaya , Boheydulang , Sabangkat and Salakan along with sand cays of Maiga, Mantabuan and Sibuan. Bodgaya
24104-464: The late 19th century. Their original role was often a ' coolie ' (manual labourer) and today many Chinese work as shopowners. A number of industrial and manufacturing companies also have plants here, especially in the industrial districts of Likas, Kolombong, and Inanam. The ongoing construction of the 8,320-acre (33.7 km) Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) in Sepanggar is intended to boost
24288-586: The long-standing threat of piracy in the region. Jesselton was partially razed by the British during their retreat from the advancing Japanese and suffered further devastation when the Allies bombed it in 1945. After the Japanese takeover of Borneo , it was again renamed Api. Several rebellions against the Japanese military administration took place in Api. One major rebellion in the town occurred on 10 October 1943 by
24472-439: The major roads here is Lintas-Tuaran Bypass Road, which together serves almost as a ring road , circling the city and connecting the districts and suburbs surrounding the city, namely Putatan, Penampang, Luyang, Likas, Inanam, Menggatal, Sepanggar and Tuaran. There are currently no freeways in the city or in any other part of Sabah. The city is linked by highways to other towns in Sabah. These are mainly federal roads maintained by
24656-514: The national Public Works Department. Highway routes from Kota Kinabalu include: Regular bus services operate in the city. Aside from buses, minibuses or vans are used as an alternative mode of public transport. There are two main bus terminals in the city centre. The terminal along Tun Razak Road provide bus services to different parts of the city and its outskirts, while the KK Sentral terminal provides intercity services to destinations south of
24840-549: The nature. Mining activities had directly released pollutants of heavy metals into rivers, reservoirs, ponds and affecting groundwater through the leaching of mine tailings . An environmental report released in 1994 reported the presence of heavy metal at the Damit/Tuaran River that exceeded the water quality safe levels for consumption. The water in Liwagu River also reported the presence of heavy metal which
25024-474: The neighbouring state of Sarawak . Kota Kinabalu features a tropical monsoon climate (Am) with constant high temperatures, and a considerable amount of rain and high humidity throughout the course of the year. Two prevailing monsoons characterise the climate of this part of Sabah are the Northeast Monsoon and the Southwest Monsoon. The Northeast Monsoon occurs between November and March, while
25208-442: The northern and eastern portion of Borneo to them in compensation for their help in settling the civil war. The territory seems have not been ceded formally, but the Sulus continued to claim the territory, with Brunei weakened and unable to resist. After the war with the Spanish, the area in northern Borneo began to fall under the influence of the Sulu Sultanate. The seafaring Bajau - Suluk and Illanun people then arrived from
25392-619: The official surrender of the Japanese 37th Army by Lieutenant General Baba Masao in Labuan on 10 September 1945. After the war on the edge of bankruptcy, the British North Borneo Company returned to administer Jesselton but was unable to finance the huge costs of reconstruction. They gave control of North Borneo to the British Crown on 18 July 1946. The new colonial government elected to rebuild Jesselton as
25576-572: The pair had dreams of travelling the world. In her youth Suart had piano lessons from jazz pianist Graeme Bell . After leaving school she spent some time working as a secretary for a Melbourne radio station, Radio 3KZ . On the day the war ended , Suart quit her job and started to prepare to travel. At the age of 19, Suart began her 11,000-mile (18,000 km) bicycle trip around Australia together with her 21-year-old friend from school, Shirley Duncan. The pair had originally planned to bicycle around Europe, but were dissuaded from doing so due to
25760-551: The party in power at the time, thus theoretically giving an equal amount of time for each major ethnic group to rule the state. However, in practice, this system was problematic as it is too short for any leader to carry out long-term plans. This practice was then since stopped. Political intervention by the federal authorities, for example, an introduction and later abolition of the chief minister's post and earlier PBS-BERJAYA conflict in 1985 , along with co-opting rival factions in East Malaysia, are examples of political tactics used by
25944-401: The people of Sabah and Sarawak favoured the proposed union of a new federation called Malaysia, and found that the union was generally favoured by the people. Most ethnic community leaders of Sabah, namely, Mustapha Harun representing the native Muslims, Donald Stephens representing the non-Muslim natives, and Khoo Siak Chew representing the Chinese, would eventually support the union. After
26128-532: The people of the city is " orang KK ", where orang means "person" or "people" in Malay. The terms "K.K-ites" and "K.K-ians" have also been used to a limited extent. People from Sabah are called Sabahans. The following is based on Department of Statistics Malaysia 2010 census. The Malaysian Census 2010 Report estimated the population of Kota Kinabalu at 452,058. The city's population is a mixture of many different races and ethnicities . Non-Malaysian citizens form
26312-409: The political and economic welfare of the population of the entire state. It is the seat of the state government where almost all of their ministries and agencies are based. Most of the Malaysian federal government agencies and departments are also located in Kota Kinabalu. The Sabah State Legislative Assembly is located at the nearby Likas Bay. There are four members of parliament (MPs) representing
26496-599: The presence a variety of banana called pisang saba (also known as pisang menurun ), which are grown widely on the coast of the region and popular in Brunei . The Bajau community referred to it as pisang jaba . While the name Saba also refers to a variety of banana in both Tagalog and Visayan languages . The word in Visayan means "noisy", which in turn is derived from Sanskrit Sabhā meaning 'congregation, crowd' related to 'noisy mob'. Perhaps due to local dialect,
26680-567: The presence of British in Labuan, the American consul in Brunei, Claude Lee Moses, obtained a ten-year lease in 1865 for a piece of land in northern Borneo. Moses then passed the land to the American Trading Company of Borneo , owned by Joseph William Torrey , Thomas Bradley Harris and Chinese investors. The company choose Kimanis (which they renamed "Ellena") as a site for a settlement. Requests for financial backing from
26864-561: The press and champion cyclist Hubert Opperman and veteran cyclist Ernie Old. Duncan published her account of the journey, Two Wheels to Adventure: Through Australia by Bicycle in 1957, and 51 years later Suart published hers, With Bags and Swags: Around Australia in the Forties . Suart had kept a diary throughout the trip, which she used as the main source for her book. Following her bicycle adventure, in June 1949 Suart went to visit her brother Peter, who worked for Shell Oil at Seria in Brunei. She liked Borneo immensely, and so found
27048-491: The region and his intention to wrest control over all of Borneo under the Greater Indonesian concept. Meanwhile, the Philippines , beginning with president Diosdado Macapagal on 22 June 1962, claimed Sabah through the heirs of the Sultanate of Sulu. Macapagal, considering Sabah to be property of the Sultanate of Sulu, saw the attempt to integrate Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei into the Federation of Malaysia as "trying to impose authority of Malaya into these states". Following
27232-409: The residents of Sabah had exercised their right to self-determination when they joined to form the Malaysian federation in 1963. A group of 200 armed Filipinos identifying themselves as the Royal Security Forces of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo landed in the district of Lahad Datu and took control of the Tanduo village in 2013, with the objective of reinforcing the Philippine claim over
27416-447: The residents of neighbouring Philippine islands due to a sharp rise in living costs after the ban took effect. Barter trade activity was resumed on 1 February 2017 upon the agreement by both Malaysian and the Philippine authorities to fortify their respective borders with increased surveillance and security enforcement. Despite the return of barter trade activity, the state of Sabah maintained that they will remain vigilant in trading with
27600-449: The resistance movement against the Japanese and who eventually supported the transfer of power to the Crown colony. He said: "Let their blood be the pledge of what we wish to be— His Majesty 's most devoted subjects." Due to massive destruction in Sandakan during the war, Jesselton was chosen to replace the capital whilst the Crown continued to rule North Borneo until 1963. The Crown colony government established many departments to oversee
27784-433: The rest of Malaysia, local government comes under the purview of state government. However, ever since the suspension of local government elections in the midst of the Malayan Emergency , which was much less intense in Sabah than it was in the rest of the country, there have been no local elections. Local authorities have their officials appointed by the executive council of the state government. The Ninth Schedule of
27968-452: The sand was mixed with mud. The northern area of Tanjung Simpang Mengayau has a type of pocket beach . The areas in the west coast has a large freshwater wetlands , with the Klias Peninsula hosts a large area of tidal wetlands and a wetland centre known as the Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre was designated as a Ramsar site in 2016. The western part of Sabah is generally mountainous, containing three highest peak. The main mountain ranges
28152-424: The south. The Federal Territory of Labuan is an island just off Sabah's west coast. Sabah shares maritime borders with Vietnam to the west and the Philippines to the north and east. Kota Kinabalu is the state capital and the economic centre of the state, and the seat of the Sabah State government . Other major towns in Sabah include Sandakan and Tawau . The 2020 census recorded a population of 3,418,785 in
28336-419: The southern part of the city which was filled with coconut trees. Yet another name was Singgah Mata which literally means "transit eye", but can be loosely translated as "pleasing to the eye". It is a name said to have been given by fishermen from Gaya Island referring to the strip of land that is today's downtown Kota Kinabalu. Today, all these names have been immortalised as names of streets or buildings around
28520-416: The state government of Sabah led by the new chief minister Harris Salleh signed an agreement with Petronas , the federal government-owned oil and gas company, granting it the right to extract and earn revenue from petroleum found in the territorial waters of Sabah in exchange for 5% in annual revenue as royalties based on the 1974 Petroleum Development Act. The state government of Sabah ceded Labuan to
28704-451: The state assembly must be held every five years, when the seats are subject of universal suffrage for all citizens above 21 years of age. Sabah is also represented in the federal parliament by 25 members elected from the same number of constituencies. Prior to the formation of Malaysia in 1963, the then North Borneo interim government submitted a 20-point agreement to the Malayan government as conditions before North Borneo would join
28888-403: The state cabinet. The chief minister is the head of government as well the leader of the state cabinet. The legislature is based on the Westminster system and therefore the chief minister is appointed based on his or her ability to command the majority of the state assembly. While local authorities being fully appointed by the state government owing to the suspension of local elections by
29072-413: The state had almost depleted all of its virgin forests outside the conservation areas. The state government were determined to maintain the state biodiversity while to make sure the state economy continue to alive. While in the same time facing hard task to control such activities although there is laws to prevent it. The need for development and basic necessities also became an issue while to preserving
29256-420: The state indigenous hunting traditions. Since the post-World War II timber boom driven by the need of raw materials from industrial countries , Sabah forests have been gradually eroded by uncontrolled timber exploitation and the conversion of Sabah forest lands into palm oil plantations. Since 1970, forestry sector have contributed for over 50% of the state revenue, of which a study conducted in 1997 revealed
29440-418: The state. Moreover, the illegal activities of the extraction of river sand and gravel in the rivers of Padas, Papar and Tuaran had become the latest concern along with the wildlife and marine hunting and poaching . Due to severe deforestation along with massive wildlife and marine poaching, the Sumatran rhino have been declared as extinct in early 2015. Some other species that was threatened with extinction
29624-476: The state. It has an equatorial climate with tropical rainforests , abundant with animal and plant species. The state has long mountain ranges on the west side which forms part of the Crocker Range National Park . Kinabatangan River , the second longest river in Malaysia runs through Sabah. The highest point of Sabah, Mount Kinabalu is also the highest point of Malaysia. The earliest human settlement in Sabah can be traced back to 20,000–30,000 years ago along
29808-422: The successful formation of Malaysia, Donald Stephens became the first chief minister of Sabah. The first Yang di-Pertua Negara (which later changed to Yang di-Pertua Negeri in 1976) was Mustapha Harun. The leaders of Sabah demanded that their freedom of religion be respected, that all lands in the territory be under the power of state government, and that native customs and traditions be respected and upheld by
29992-406: The territory to Germany , Austria-Hungary and Italy but they rejected his offer. Overbeck then co-operated with the British Dent brothers ( Alfred Dent and Edward Dent) for financial backing to develop the land, with the Dent company persuading him that any investors would need guarantees of British military and diplomatic support. Overbeck agreed to this co-operation, especially with regard to
30176-497: The then UMNO-led federal government to control and manage the autonomous power of the Borneo states. The federal government however tend to view that these actions are justifiable as the display of parochialism amongst East Malaysians is not in harmony with nation building. This complicated Federal-State relationship has become a source of major contention in Sabah politics. In the 2018 general election , Shafie Apdal 's Sabah Heritage Party (WARISAN) secured an electoral pact with
30360-426: The towns of Donggongon and Putatan . The combined area of Kota Kinabalu District and the contiguous built up areas in Penampang and Putatan is known as Greater Kota Kinabalu . The district of Penampang has an area of 466 square kilometres, and is administered by Majlis Daerah Penampang (Penampang District Council). On one end of the scale, Kota Kinabalu may sometimes only refer to, especially by local inhabitants,
30544-403: The two states. Citing in 1971 when British Prime Minister Edward Heath been asked in Parliament of London on what threats the British intended to counter under the FPDA, the Prime Minister replied: to "forces outside [Malaysia] in southern Thailand and north of the Malaysian border". The area in eastern Sabah facing the southern Philippines and northern Indonesia have since been put under
30728-425: The usage of the language. Kadazan has been considered an endangered language , along with the culture of ethnic Kadazans. Besides being the capital city, Kota Kinabalu is also the main industrial and commercial centre for Sabah. The economy is dominated by the primary sector of industry . Historically, the secondary sector dominated the economy, but due to rapid urbanisation and economic development, this sector of
30912-503: The welfare of its residents and to revive the economy of North Borneo after the war. Upon Philippine independence in 1946 , seven of the British-controlled Turtle Islands (including Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi and Mangsee Islands ) off the north coast of Borneo were ceded to the Philippines as had been negotiated by the American and British colonial governments. On 31 August 1963, North Borneo attained self-governance . The Cobbold Commission had been set up in 1962, to determine whether
31096-406: The whole island as Po Ni (also pronounced Bo Ni ), which is the same name they used to refer to the Sultanate of Brunei at the time. Due to the location of Sabah in relation to Brunei, it has been suggested that Sabah was a Brunei Malay word meaning upstream or "in a northerly direction". Another theory suggests that it came from the Malay word sabak which means a place where palm sugar
31280-426: The word Saba has been pronounced as Sabah by the local community. While Brunei was a vassal state of Majapahit , the Old Javanese eulogy of Nagarakretagama described the area in what is now Sabah as Seludang . Although the Chinese since the Han dynasty had been associated with the island of Borneo , they did not have any specific names for the area. Instead during the Song dynasty , they referred to
31464-418: The year. February and March are typically the driest months while rainfall peaks in the inter-monsoon period in October. The wind speed ranges from 5.5 to 7.9 m/s during the Northeast Monsoon but is significantly lower to 0.3 to 3.3 m/s during the Southwest Monsoon. There have not been any official or popular adjectives, or demonyms , to describe the people of Kota Kinabalu. A simple way to describe
31648-427: The younger generation. However, some find it difficult to speak fluently due to a limited vocabulary and the general lack of usage of the English language as a conversational lingua franca among Sabahans as a whole. The number of Kadazan-Dusun speakers is thought to have dropped significantly throughout Sabah, especially in larger towns or cities like Kota Kinabalu. However, some effort has been taken by some to revive
31832-410: Was actually named after a nearby river called Sungai Api-Api . In Chinese, the city is still known as 'Api', which is the Hakka pronunciation for 亚庇 ( Simplified Chinese ; Traditional Chinese : 亞庇; Pinyin : yà bì ). Another suggested historical name is Deasoka , which roughly means "below the coconut tree" in the Bajau language. The Bajau locals purportedly used this name to refer to a village in
32016-425: Was already inhabited by the Bajau people. The first settlement was at Gaya Island . However, in 1897, the settlement was burned and destroyed by the indigenous Bajau- Suluk chief Mat Salleh . After the destruction, BNBC decided to relocate the settlement to the more easily defended mainland at Gantian Bay (now Sepanggar Bay) in 1898. However, Gantian Bay was found to be unsuitable and in July 1899, Henry Walker,
32200-422: Was believed that Po Ni existed at the mouth of Brunei River and was the predecessor to the Bruneian Empire. When China was conquered by the Mongol Empire , all Chinese vassal states were subsequently controlled by the Mongol emperors of China. Early in 1292, Kublai Khan is said to have sent an expedition to northern Borneo, before departing for the invasion of Java in 1293. As a result of this campaign, it
32384-417: Was believed to be originated from the Mamut Mine . Forest fire also have become the latest concern due to drought and fires set by irresponsible farmers or individuals such as what happened in the 2016 forest fires , where thousands of hectares of forest reserves in Binsuluk on the west coast of Sabah were lost. Rampant fish bombing has destroyed many coral reefs and affecting fisheries production in
32568-406: Was born in Hamilton, Victoria , to Arthur Law, an inspector of schools and later principal of Melbourne Teachers' College, and his wife, Lily (née Chapman). Suart was the youngest of their six children; their second child (and one of three sons) was Phillip Law , later a scientist and Antarctic explorer. Suart attended University High School, Melbourne , where one of her friends was Shirley Duncan;
32752-467: Was given additional protection as a State Cultural Heritage Site in 1998. The five islands (of Gaya, Sapi, Manukan, Sulug, Mamutik) opposite the city, and their surrounding waters, are also preserved as the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park . The park was named in honour of the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman . The park is a recreational spot for tourists and local people. The Kota Kinabalu city centre, consisting of mostly businesses and
32936-413: Was in addition to the discovery of Chinese ceramics from a shipwreck in Tanjung Simpang Mengayau estimated to be from between 960 and 1127 AD from the Song dynasty and the Vietnamese Đông Sơn drum in Bukit Timbang Dayang on Banggi Island that was between 2,000 and 2,500 years old. During the reign of Sultan Bolkiah of Brunei between 1485 and 1524, the sultanate extended over northern Borneo and
33120-418: Was moved to Sandakan in 1884. To prevent further disputes over intervention, the governments of the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany signed the Madrid Protocol of 1885 , recognising the sovereignty of the King of Spain over the Sulu Archipelago in return for the relinquishment of all Spanish claims over northern Borneo. The arrival of the company brought prosperity to the residents of northern Borneo, with
33304-419: Was opposed by neighbouring Indonesia, which led to the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation over three years along with the threats of annexation by the Philippines along with the Sultanate of Sulu, threats which continue to the present day. Sabah exhibits notable diversity in ethnicity, culture and language. The head of state is the governor, also known as the Yang di-Pertua Negeri , while the head of government
33488-453: Was renamed as Kota Kinabalu, Kota being the Malay word for City and Kinabalu after the nearby Mount Kinabalu . Kota Kinabalu was granted city status in 2000. Kota Kinabalu is often known as KK both in Malaysia and internationally. It is a major tourist destination and a gateway for travellers visiting Sabah and Borneo. Kinabalu Park is located about 90 kilometres from the city and there are many other tourist attractions in and around
33672-440: Was some snow here in 1975 and 1993. The Semporna Peninsula on the north-eastern coast of Sabah is identified as a hotspot of high marine biodiversity importance in the Coral Triangle . The jungles of Sabah host a diverse array of plant and animal species. Most of Sabah's biodiversity is located in the forest reserve areas, which formed half of its total landmass of 7.34 million hectares. Its forest reserve are part of
33856-405: Was the largest pottery making site in Neolithic Southeast Asia. During the 7th century AD, a settled community known as Vijayapura, a tributary to the Srivijaya empire, was thought to have existed in northwest Borneo. The earliest independent kingdom in Borneo, supposed to have existed from the 9th century, was Po Ni, as recorded in the Chinese geographical treatise Taiping Huanyu Ji . It
#257742