THE SABAH SOCIETY

Newsletter 71 March–April 2003

Secretariat: 39-1, 1st Floor, Damai Plaza, Phase 4, Luyang, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
Postal address: P.O. Box 10547, 88806 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
Tel & Fax: 088-250443 e-mail: sabsoc@po.jaring.my Website: http://www.sabah.org.my/sabahsociety
Administrative Executant: Ms Grace Tsang
Editor: Kay Lyons

THE SABAH SOCIETY AGM 2003 SECRETARIAT NOTICES

Fifty-two members attended The Sabah Society AGM 2003 held on
22 April 2003 at Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort (STAR). The 1. The Sabah Society newsletter is now also
AGM was followed by a talk on the newly gazetted Tun Mustapha available as an e-newsletter. If you would
Marine Park by Prof. Dr Ridzwan Abdul Rahman of UMS. prefer to receive the electronic version,
please send an email to the secretariat.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2003/2004
President: Datuk Chan Chew Lun 2. Notices on all Society events (including
Vice President: Dr Heng Aik Cheng talks, trips and forums) are sent by email.
Hon Secretary: Puan Zahra Yaacob Please supply your email address to the
Hon Treasurer: Mr Daniel Soo secretariat if you have not already done so.
Committee Members: Dr Ho Tze Hok (Please note that all email addresses will be
Dr Ravi Mandalam considered confidential information.)
Dr Richard Barrow
Mr Albert Teo 3. If you have already supplied your email
Mr Wallace Welliam Tan address to the secretariat, but have not been
Immediate Past President: Tengku Datuk (Dr) Zainal Adlin receiving emails from The Society, please
Hon Editor (Journal): Dr Geoffrey Davison telephone Grace so that the problem can be
Ex-officio Member: Datuk Joseph Guntavid identified and corrected.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS NEW MEMBERS

22 May 2003 Video presentation on ‘Borneo— The President and the Committee members of The Sabah
The Final Safari’ by Martin and Society warmly welcome the following new members who
Osa Johnson have been endorsed by the Committee, and wish them a long,
happy and fruitful membership.
2 June 2003 Talk on ‘Discovering Sabah
through Home Stay’ Ms Tulip Noorizyze
MARCH 2003
by Ms Joanna Kissey-Kitingan Datuk Yong Teck Lee
6–8 June 2003 Trip to Lankayan Island Mr Alphonsus Goh
Captain (R) George Lai APRIL 2003
mid-June 2003 Talk on ‘Current Status of the Mr Richard Chung
Medicinal Plant Resources in Mrs Lynda Joeman Ms Amy Chin Siew Mei
Malaysia’ Mr Patrick C L Chin Dr Premadeva Satkurunathan
by Assoc Prof Dr Kamarudin Mr Robert Tam Mr Hanfi Hussin
Mat-Salleh Mr Ng Ten Sung Ms Sharon Wong Yee Sim
4–6 July 2003 Educational trip to Danum Valley Prof Dr Mohd Fauzi Yaacob Mr Jonathan Cocking
late July 2003 Forum on Likas Bay Mr Frederick Liew Mrs Arena Awang Chee
THE SABAH SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 71

THE SABAH SOCIETY

TALKS AND FIELD TRIPS

TALKS
DATE TITLE VENUE
5 March 2003 Spiders! Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort
Drs Peter Koomen (STAR), Kota Kinabalu
18 March 2003 Natural Resource Use & Community in Banggi Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort
Dr Fadzillah Majid Cooke (STAR), Kota Kinabalu
25 March 2003 The Leiden Natural History Museum ‘Naturalis’ Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort
Drs Peter Koomen (STAR), Kota Kinabalu
3 April 2003 Conservation & Sabah's Land Law: Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort
The Legal Perspective (STAR), Kota Kinabalu
Mr James Lam
9 April 2003 A Study of Sea Bajau in Sulu Island: Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort
A Comparison with Semporna Sea Bajau (STAR), Kota Kinabalu
Mr Wilfredo M. Torres III
16 April 2003 Tunku Abdul Rahman Park—Sea Walking Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort
Mr Francis Liew (STAR), Kota Kinabalu

FORUM
DATE TITLE VENUE
19 March 2003 Gaya Street—The Future Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort
Chairman: Dr Richard Barrow (STAR), Kota Kinabalu

FIELD TRIPS
DATE DESTINATION NO. PARTICIPANTS
15–16 March 2003 Camping Trip to Tanjung Simpang Mengayau 39
4–5 April 2003 Mantanani Island Trip 27
18–20 April 2003 Mount Kinabalu Climb 29

Sandakan
Sub-Committee Activities
The Sandakan sub-committee’s recent activities
for members living on the east coast included a
talk entitled ‘Photo Safari Sabah’ by well-known
local photographer Cede Prudente on 26 April
2003, attended by about 70 people. A small group
also enjoyed a trip to Sepilok Laut on 12–13 April
2003.
Datuk C. L. Chan presenting a certificate to Mr Adrian Lok in appreciation for
his assistance in arranging the Society’s trip to Tanjung Simpang Mengayau.

TALKS
Spiders!
Drs Peter Koomen
Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort
Kota Kinabalu
Wednesday, 5 March 2003
any people are afraid of spiders. They are among the
M top ten of most scary animals. They are regarded as
the utter creepy crawlies. Are these feelings right?
Most people with arachnophobia have hardly any knowledge of
the subject matter of their fears. A little more interest in spiders
reveals fascinating animals, in many ways comparable to us.
Except for deep thinking, spiders can do almost everything
we do. Spiders only do it in a different way, like eating by
throwing up and slurping, digesting partly in the legs, breathing
through the belly, defecating below the skin, and living among
silk. To detect insect prey, spiders have eight eyes, eight nostrils
and many hairs functioning as organs for touch, taste, and
hearing. Seen under a scanning electron microscope they look
very fanciful. Furthermore, spiders use an enormous diversity
of tactics to trap insects or to take them by surprise. Looking
open-mindedly at spiders easily results in being lost in
amazement.
Why do spiders need all these amazing features? Answer:
to make more spiders. Spiders do IT too, but in an even more
complicated way than we do. Male spiders have special mating
organs on their mouthparts to suck up their own sperm. This has
to be transferred to a female, an event to die for. A proposing
male spider runs the risk of being regarded as prey by his
beloved. Fortunately male spiders know many ways to avoid
too hasty consumption; many of their strategies seem amazingly
human. Some males strum a love song, dance a tango, or offer
a present. Others put the female in a hold or tie her up. You
name it, spiders do it, and obviously with a lot of success.
President of the Sabah Society, Datuk C. L. Chan, presenting a
certificate of appreciation and a copy of the Pocket Guide to the Birds
of Borneo to Drs Peter Koomen from the Netherlands, who gave two
very interesting talks to the society members: ‘Spiders!’ and ‘The
Leiden Natural History Museum ‘Naturalis’’.
MARCH–APRIL 2003
Conservation & Sabah’s Land Law:
The Legal Perspective
Mr James Lam
Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort
Kota Kinabalu
Thursday, 3 April 2003
he speaker started with a brief introduction to the various
T classes of land titles in Sabah—Country Lease (CL),
Town Lease (TL), Native Title (NT), Field Register (FR)
and Provisional Lease (PL).
He then spoke about a controversial aspect of land law in
Sabah relating to native titles. All transactions of native land
between natives and non-natives are null and void. Only natives
can own native land. The definition of a ‘native’ is given in
section 2 of the Interpretation of Natives Ordinance (Sabah Cap.
64). Included in this definition are not only those who are
readily accepted as natives, but also ‘any person who is
ordinarily resident in Sabah, is a member of a people indigenous
to Indonesia or the Sulu group of islands in the Philippines and
has lived as a member of the native community for a continuous
period of five years’.
The subject of land conservation was addressed in terms of
cases in recent years where rights to seafront land have been
taken away even though such ‘property’ had been gazetted by
previous governments as conservation areas. The speaker
reminded the audience that gazetted areas can be degazetted by
any later government.
Thus societies like The Sabah Society can play an
important role in educating the public on such matters so that
the people are well informed about affairs of the protection and
conservation of our land and environment in the state of Sabah.
Vice President of The Sabah Society, Dr Heng Aik Cheng, presenting a
certificate of appreciation to speaker Mr James Lam, lawyer and author
of An Introduction to Sabah Land Law.
THE SABAH SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 71

A Study of the Sama Dilaut in

Sulu Island: A Comparison with
the Semporna Bajau Laut
Wilfredo M. Torres III
Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort
Kota Kinabalu
Wednesday, 9 April 2003

his paper touches on the way of life of the Sama dilaut of

T the Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines and briefly

compares it with the life of the Bajau Laut in Semporna,
Sabah, Malaysia.
The Sama dilaut (sea-oriented Sama), or more popularly
known in Malaysia as Bajau Laut (sea Bajau), belong to a wider
sea-nomadic boat culture found throughout Southeast Asia.
They are typically subsistence fishermen and aquatic foragers.
In the Philippines, most of them reside near islands and coastal
areas throughout Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and Mindanao Island. In
insular Malaysia, congeries of them can be found along the
eastern coasts of Sabah, most especially among the various
islands in the Semporna District. In Sulu society, the Sama
dilaut are generally perceived to occupy a lower social standing
compared to their more sedentary neighbours.
The first part of the paper presented a study conducted
earlier among the Sama dilaut of Kabuukan island in Sulu
province, the Philippines. It described the way of life of the
Sama dilaut from the analytical perspective of household
adaptive strategies, gender relations, and sea tenurial status. The
study also examined the changes occurring within Sama dilaut
communities as families reconstitute themselves to the nature
and demands of new technology and to the effects of
external/global forces.
The study in Sulu has revealed that Kabuukan island and
the waters within its vicinity are considered as ancestral waters
by the Sama dilaut who reside there. The Sama in this area have
an intimate knowledge of their sea territories. And their intimate
knowledge of their areas is inseparably linked to their
livelihood, to the interplay of their various survival strategies,
and to their way of life. Within this web of survival strategies,
it was also shown that women, and their work, play a vital role
in the survival of the Sama household.
The paper also discussed the changes that have occurred as
a result of the emergence of new technology like seaweed
farming. While seaweed farming presents an opportunity for the
Sama to emancipate themselves from poverty and from
previously held misconceptions that debilitate them as a people,
this new technology is also a doubled-edged sword. The advent
of seaweed farming has changed the Sama’s perception of their
traditional sea spaces, and changed the labour relations within
their community. Previous indigenous institutions that regulated
their access and use of sea spaces are rapidly being replaced by
new rules and regulations that suit the demands of seaweed
farming. The new activity also promoted the emergence of
seaweed farming-related wage labour and landlord–tenant
relationships at sea. Seaweed farming’s increasing popularity in
Sulu has also been marked by increasing resource competition
Hon. Treasurer of The Sabah Society, Mr Daniel Soo, presenting a
certificate of appreciation to speaker Mr Wilfredo M. Torres III, who
spoke about the Sama dilaut of Sulu and the Bajau Laut of Sabah.
and ethnic violence, environmental degradation, and the gradual
displacement of the Sama dilaut by more aggressive
neighbours.
The final part of the paper touched on the comparison
between the Sama dilaut of Sulu and the Bajau Laut of Sabah.
The way of life of the Sama dilaut and the Bajau Laut is a
product of historical forces, as well as the forces within their
natural environment. The Sama dilaut and the Bajau Laut share
common historical ties. From precolonial to colonial times, they
played an important role in trade, inter-island communications,
as well as in the formation of early maritime states in the region.
However, their marine specialization has relegated them to the
margins of society.
In the Philippines, the Sama were always under the shadow
of a more dominant group. In Sabah, however, the absence of a
dominant group and strict law enforcement has allowed the
Bajau to become prominent and prosperous. In the Philppines,
despite the presence of formal government systems, ineffective
law enforcement in the southern Philippines has forced the
Sama dilaut to depend on traditional patron–client relationships
for their livelihood and protection. As the Sama are chained to
a relationship of clientage—characterized by injustices and
violence—their general well-being has suffered. This situation,
and other factors like war, piracy, and the displacement caused
by seaweed farms, has forced the Sama to seek the safer fishing
grounds of Malaysia.
Francis Liew, who addressed members on seawalking—the latest
underwater viewing activity—being thanked by the President of The
Sabah Society, Datuk C. L. Chan.

Malaysia’s strict law enforcement has maintained order and
created a conducive environment for the Sama. The country has
successfully controlled piracy and the proliferation of firearms.
The Sama dilaut find the Malaysian seas safer areas to fish in,
and the markets are fair. In Malaysia, the bonds of clientage that
have chained the Sama for so long are broken. And this has
allowed Sama dilaut to thrive and prosper here.
Tunku Abdul Rahman Park—
Sea Walking
Francis Liew
Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort
Kota Kinabalu
Wednesday, 16 April 2003
unku Abdul Rahman Park, which lies 3–8 km off Kota
T Kinabalu, is made up of five islands surrounded by coral
reefs. The park covers a total area of 4,924 hectares, of
which two-thirds is sea. The five islands are Gaya, Manukan,
Mamutik, Sapi and Sulug. The unspoilt natural environment
and clear water teeming with fascinating marine life, plus its
close proximity to the city, make the park a very popular
destination with picnickers, nature lovers and divers. When the
park was gazetted in 1974, it only covered the major part of
Gaya and Sapi (3,638 hectares). In 1979, the government
acquired the other three islands, which were previously
privately owned.
Pulau Gaya, the largest island (3,665 hectares), derives its
name from the Bajau word ‘gayo’(‘big’). Ridges 600–1,000 feet
high form the island’s backbone. It has 16 miles of shoreline
with beaches, mudflats, mangroves and sandstone cliffs. The
major beach is Police Beach, a quarter-mile of fine white sand.
The coral reefs along the entire coast are in excellent condition.
Pulau Sapi has one of the nicest beaches in the park. Its
clean white sand and crystal clear water plus the coral reefs
fringing the shoreline make it ideal for swimming, snorkelling
and diving. Day-use facilities include a jetty, picnic shelters,
barbecue pits, picnic tables, changing rooms and toilets.
Pulau Manukan, a 51-acre boomerang-shaped island, is the
park’s second largest island and the most developed. There is a
trail system around the island and 20 chalets, a clubhouse,
restaurant, souvenir and diving centres as well as recreational
facilities such as a swimming pool, football field, tennis court.
Pulau Mamutik is the smallest of the five islands. Borneo
Divers operates a dive school on the island. Day-use facilities
include changing rooms, toilets, picnic shelters, and barbecue.
Pulau Sulug. This 20-acre island is the furthest from the
city, and is relatively undeveloped. This island is popular with
foreign visitors who prefer the quiet, wilderness atmosphere.
Good reef patches lie on the southern end of the island.
Changing rooms, toilets, picnic shelters and tables are provided.
Seawalking: In 2002, the Sabah Parks’ wholly-owned
subsidiary company, Sabapak Eco-Holdings Snd Bhd, and Club
WAT, a Korean company, set up a joint-venture company,
Borneo Seawalking Sdn Bhd to operate a new underwater
viewing activity—seawalking.
MARCH–APRIL 2003
This activity, the first of its kind in Malaysia, is based near
Sabah Parks’ Base Camp Jetty on Pulau Gaya. With the aid of
Sea Trek underwater helmet diving system, non-swimmers and
non-divers are able to experience and explore the wonderful
underwater world without even getting their hair wet.
There are no oxygen tanks or complicated equipment and
the activity is very safe and easy, with no training required. The
underwater trail is about 15–20 metres descent from the
pontoon boat and the distance covered is about 50 metres.The
walk takes 20–30 minutes to complete. While in the water,
seawalkers are guided by a fixed rail so that they do not step on
the corals. Two helpers and a diver are always with the walkers
while in the water and the diver points out interesting marine
life throughout the duration of the walk.
FIELD TRIPS
Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, Kudat
15–16 March 2003
by Balvinder Kaur Kler
n true tradition of the Sabah Society, members set out for a
I special weekend to pay homage to The Tip of Borneo or
Tanjung Simpang Mengayau.
The first group of 14 members led by Assistant Team
Leader Adrian Lok gathered at the Sabah Society office and left
in a 4-wheel drive convoy by 8:30 am headed out towards Kota
Belud. With the new road, Kota Belud is literally around the
corner, perfect for our brief breakfast stopover. We got back
onto the road and arrived shortly at a well signposted T-
junction. If you turn left, you will reach Matunggong 29
kilometres away and Kudat 70 kilometres away. Turn right and
you will head out towards Kota Marudu. So all you do is turn
left and follow the road and signposts. No excuses accepted for
getting lost on the way to Kudat!
Somewhere down this portion of the journey, you will see
a beautiful visual of Marudu Bay on the right. Our convoy had
the pleasure of a few more stopovers which made our journey
all that more educational. We arrived in the sub-district of
Matunggong where designated villages are involved in the ‘One
Village-One Industry’ initiative. We passed Kg. Gombizau—
The HoneyBee Farm and shortly after, we stopped at Kampung
Sumangkap—known for its Gong Making and we also stopped
at Kampung Bavanggazo, where you can learn more about the
Rungus people and their lifestyle and traditions. And most
importantly, purchase those beautiful beads and handicraft at
‘local’ prices!
After yet another stopover for lunch in the township of
Sikuati, we got back onto the main road and soon come upon the
Blue Sign. You can’t miss it—follow the arrows on the Blue
sign and you will make your way towards either Sunjamal
Resort or The Tip of Borneo. So, here begins the final stretch of
our journey with no more stopovers planned. There were
coconut plantations and small villages on either side. We are a
convoy of five vehicles and the lead vehicle arrives at a junction
with another Blue signpost and waits for the others to catch up.
THE SABAH SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 71
Some of the intrepid members of The Sabah Society on the first camping trip to Sabah’s latest tourist attraction, Tanjung Simpang Mengayau,
the most northerly point of Borneo. While most favoured tents, others opted to sleep on the beach as it was a balmy night.
Minutes go by, no vehicles follow and so the lead vehicle turns
to go back up the road to discover our compatriots fixing a flat
tyre. Okay, half an hour stopover, unexpectedly! So what are the
odds of having a second flat tyre? Perhaps it had something to
do with our ‘stopover’ theme but as we turned into that final
stretch, yet another vehicle had a flat! Here, the benefits of
travelling in convoy come forth and perhaps walkie-talkies need
to be used for trips in the future as mobile phone networks were
unavailable.
Finally, we arrived at our destination through Kampung
Kalampunian Laut to a secluded corner of Sabah where the
white soft sand and the layered azure shades of the sea reach out
to welcome you to the northern Tip of Borneo.
As you drive up towards the highest point, the Malaysian
flag fluttering in the wind greets you. This flagpost was set up
in conjunction with National Day celebrations last year, which
at State-level were held in Kudat. You stand here and take in the
magnificent and glorious view of being at the Tip of Borneo.
We wished there was a sign that stated ‘Welcome! You are Now
Standing at the Northern Tip of Borneo’. To the right, you see
the lighthouse on Pulau Kalampunian and further out on the
horizon is Pulau Balambangan. In fact, it is possible to walk
down to the actual tip, which is made up of an interesting array
of rock formations you learnt about in Geography lessons at
school. Stand at the very tip and have your photo taken but be
careful not to be swept away by the waves!
We drove back down to set up our campsite at the
beachfront. At this point, the second convoy arrived with Team
Leader, Dr Heng Aik Cheng. This group consisted mainly of
families with children (eight) and even a cute little dog! It was
3:30 pm on a fresh, breezy, haze-free Saturday afternoon with
the sun shining brightly. In total, 39 members of the Sabah
Society had arrived for the weekend camping trip at Tanjung
Simpang Mengayau.
Tents of all shapes and sizes were set up whilst some of the
members went swimming as others started gathering driftwood
for the campfire. Luckily, there were no sandflies or mosquitoes
during our visit. The District Officer of Kudat, Mr. Sebastian
Lim had kindly arranged for Sabah Society members to use the
toilet and shower facilities at the Police Outpost which was
within walking distance of our campsite.
The moon (almost full) was already out in the evening sky
as the sun began a two-and-a-half-minute descent into the
horizon. Some members were back at the Tip to watch the
sunset while the rest stayed at the campsite. Many a poet has
written about the sunset. Take our word for it, it was beautiful
to watch the sunset, here at the Tip of Borneo. After a barbecue
dinner, members continued to chat into the wee hours of the
night. Tanjung Simpang Mengayau is a suitable place for
stargazing as there is no light pollution and we could clearly see
the constellations of Orion and the Southern Cross. In fact,
some of our members decided to sleep out under the stars!
Here is a wonderful opportunity to develop this site as a
camping ground. Visitors would pay a fee for utilising the
campsite which would have basic facilities including toilets,
showers and garbage disposal but accommodation would
remain on a ‘bring your own tent’ basis. This would promote
domestic tourism and encourage more locals to visit the Great
Outdoors of Borneo.
Earlybirds the next morning caught a glimpse of the new
day dawning upon the island of Borneo. After breakfast the next
morning, everyone started to pack up their tents and rubbish
was taken home. Some of us went back up to the Tip for more
photo-taking. Our camping trip to Tanjung Simpang Mengayau
had come to an end. For most of us, this had been our first trip
out to the Tip of Borneo and it had been worth every instant.

Caught in the early morning sunlight, the camping site of the intrepid
members of The Sabah Society on the first-ever society trip to the ‘Tip
of Borneo’, Tanjung Simpang Mengayau.
Instants
by Jorge Luis Borges
If I could live again my life,
In the next — I’ll try,
— to make more mistakes,
I won’t try to be so perfect,
I’ll be more relaxed,
I’ll be more full — than I am now,
In fact, I’ll take fewer things seriously,
I’ll be less hygienic,
I’ll take more risks,
I’ll take more trips,
I’ll watch more sunsets,
I’ll climb more mountains,
I’ll swim more rivers,
I’ll go to more places I’ve never been,
I’ll eat more ice creams and less (lime) beans,
I’ll have more real problems
and less imaginary ones,
I was one of those people who live
prudent and prolific lives
each minute of his life,
Of course that I had moments of joy but,
if I could go back I’ll try to have only good moments,
If you don’t know — that’s what life is made of,
Don’t lose the now!
I was one of those who never goes anywhere
without a thermometer,
without a hot-water bottle,
and without an umbrella and without a parachute,
If I could live again — I will travel light,
If I could live again — I’ll try to work bare feet
at the beginning of spring till
the end of autumn,
I’ll ride more carts,
I’ll watch more sunrises and play with more children,
If I have the life to live — but now I am 85,
— and I know that I am dying ...
Reference: The Garden of Jorge Louis Borges
http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/00/pwillen1/lit/index3.htm
MARCH–APRIL 2003
Mantanani Island
5–6 April 2003
by Aw Chak Teng
t was a crispy fresh morning as I arrived at Likas Square to
I pick up Kay, and off to ‘The Peak’ to pick up Christine—
yes, the redoubtable Kiwi who missed Sabah so much that
she flew back (actually Kiwis don’t fly, which made this even
more remarkable) at short notice–yep, that’s one tough old bird
indeed. We caught up with the good ol’ times and expected
some new exciting times in the day’s journey ahead ...
As expected, we arrived first at Kota Belud (because I was
the trip leader, and also the trip writer, which is not necessarily
the best combination…). As soon as we left our still-warm
empty cups at the local stall, we spotted Makii-san (Hajime) and
his fine family trooping towards us (Yorika, Miyoko, Azusa,
Takashi, and little Midori). From the other end marched Ogami-
san (Ken), Yoko, Momoka, and little Haruto. Soon, all arrived,
except the very important little red car—Bal’s—the one bearing
our gracious hostess for the next two days—Gillian (‘Gilly’)
Elliot. We were waiting on the other side of the grandstand.
So, off we set again. We took a wrong turning, but saw the
magnificent countryside of Kota Belud basking in the morning
light. (We were on holiday, weren’t we?) Finally, we arrived at
the jetty. After an hour of bumpy boat ride, I woke up in time to
vaguely make out an island resembling Costa Rica* (as in
Jurassic Park, Yikes!!) ‘Here we are,’ beamed Gillian,
‘welcome to Gilly’s Island*!’ (as in Gilligan’s Island*).
*The correct answer is Mantanani Besar
First things should always come first. As soon as we
dropped our bags, we took photos, plenty of them. With that
heavy duty out of the way, we relaxed instantly with ice-cooled
lemon tea and hot-fried Malaysian pisang goreng. With light
refreshments tucked away, we got our room keys, but not before
we each signed our own “d” warrant i.e. ‘have warrant will
dive, still at your own risk’.
No diving that morning—the first (group) dive was
scheduled for the afternoon, the second (group) dive for the next
morning because there was not enough gear for everybody.
Strangely, I saw Prem (his Chinese friends called him Ah
Peng?!) and a few other divers were actually smiling—because
they brought their own gear, and so, ‘have gear will dive, at will,
but this time at the risk of your own gear’.
This was pretty much free activity time now. Presently,
Peng (I meant Prem) and I hopped into a kayak and decided to
test our kayaking skills by paddling to Lingisan Island (about
1–2 km away?). First, left and right; then, right and left—and
we were going nowhere. Soon, left-left, right-right—and we
were puffing hard, finally going somewhere—but not where we
wanted to go—right towards the open sea! Ah … so—direction
was as important as effort!! But still we were beaten to the
island by Min-cheong and company. We had short chats and
long rests in between. Revenge was sweet on the return, as we
paddled right up the shore, beating all comers.
Lunch came and divers went. The ‘certified’ ones, that is.
‘The discoverers’(good name—sounds liked ‘adventurers’), we
THE SABAH SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 71
Pictured on the beach at Mantanani Resort are members on the third Sabah Society trip to the resort. No dugongs were sighted, but there were
plenty of activities for everyone. The energetic dived, snorkelled and kayaked, while the lazy (and the children) swam and walked.
were called, because we were about to ‘discover’ what scuba
diving is (or, is not) all about, after (or, if) the ‘certified’ ones
returned. There was only one sensible thing to do now—get
prepared for ‘the discovery’—by taking a good nap...
The turn of ‘the discoverers’ finally came and we truly
braved it. First, putting on the gear itself was half the joy (or
pain, depending on how you put it on!). Second, walking
upright with it would strengthen your back (or ‘kill’ you,
depending how you walk!). Thirdly, breathing with the mask on
was ‘a piece of cake’ and ‘a breeze of fresh air’ (or trying very
hard to strike an easy balance between not swallowing the
whole mouth-piece and not spitting it out; between focusing on
hearing your own ‘stereophonic’ breathing and on looking at the
scenic surroundings; and the fine distinction between subtle
underwater language and a real frantic sign for help). All said,
we truly enjoyed the ‘discovery’ experience—we saw the
biggest giant clams to the smallest sea slugs; and we
experienced the delicate combinational art of buoyancy,
propulsion, and balance—in short, we swam like a fish. The
only disappointment was no sighting of the other ‘fish’ (actually
a mammal)—the elusive ‘dugong’ or the legendary mermaid.
But, that’s another story.
More free activities followed—kayaking, snorkelling,
swimming, or just plain lazing around gazing at the magnificent
sunset… Wondering what people here do for a living? Presently
some sweet music—a toxicating fusion of light metallic and
heavy primping—caught my seawater-filled ears, and I strolled
across to the shed. A compressor was filling rows of diving-air
cylinders; and a young man was strumming a guitar, humming
softly to himself. There I found a simple lesson in economics
and philosophy—the air was free (and fresh), and the man was
happy (and contented).
After dinner, more lazing around … And some excitement
stirred when Hori produced a bottle of vintage wine from
somewhere. After ‘intense interrogation’ he ‘confessed’ to
sneaking off during the day’s dive to retrieve the bottle from a
sunken ship (which I immediately named ‘Hori’s wreck’, a little
beyond ‘Gilly’s wall’). Nobody gave a hoot, though, about the
sunken loot, when we shared in the drinking—to Hori’s health,
of course! (May he sneak off often and returned heavily laden.)
Next morning (I kicked myself for missing the early bird-
call), the morning divers were ready and gone. This time I
teamed up with Rina and Lily for a three-person kayaking tag-
team. We were confident of emerging as champions (there were
no other kayaking team around). Perhaps we were a little over-
confident—we were thrown overboard even before we started!
(But, as I was saying, no other team saw us do that.) Soon the
divers resurfaced, the snorkellers surfaced, and the kayakers
returned in triumph, with their oars up in the air!
After an early lunch, it was time to say goodbye to Gilly
and her island in the sun (and the clams, corals and sea-slugs
under the water). Was it a good trip? Let’s just say that I, and
also others, are still searching for the elusive dugong (actually I
did the next best thing-I bought a dugong T-shirt !), and looking
forward to hear the haunting song of the mermaid.
Mount Kinabalu Climb 2003
18–20 April 2003
by Dr Ravi Mandalam
abah Society organized for its members, the first climb up
S
Mt Kinabalu in its 40-years’ history. The climb was
ostensibly for first-timers, the not-so-fit and the totally
unfit members. Twenty-eight Society members (including
family members) signed up for the three-day event.

An overcast sky greeted us on Good Friday, as the members
arrived in several batches at the Kinabalu Park for the overnight
stay at the cabins. Our Datuk President warmly greeted the
members and, in a brief address to them, stressed the historic
nature of the climb from the Society’s viewpoint. Dr Ho Tze
Hok was designated as the de facto leader of the team. Upon our
President’s request I briefed the climbers on the do’s and don’ts
of the climb, particularly since there were a significant number
of first-timers. I need not have worried; the performance of the
entire team surprised me the next day! After an early supper
everyone retired to bed, to be up in the morning for the climb.
I woke up the next morning to the melodious whistling of
Cat Stevens’ ‘Morning has broken’ by one of our members. The
mystery musician, I learnt later, was none other than our Dr Ho!
What a lovely song!! And rightly enough, as I stepped out of the
cabin, it was the ‘sweetness of the wet garden’ that greeted me,
with Kinabalu looming majestically in the background.
After a quick breakfast, all the Society climbers assembled
at the Park Office to receive their tags and engage porters to
carry their luggage up to Laban Rata. The Park Office presented
a cheerful state of kelam kabut, with jostling parties of climbers
clamouring for porters, guides, tags and transport to the
Timpohon Gate. Our designated guides were nowhere to be
seen, and I was getting increasingly anxious about this delay!
One of the senior guides, Saupinggi, helped me trace them to
the waiting room behind the office. Four guides, Messrs Simpat,
Sayun, Patrick and Ronnie, were to accompany us up the
Mountain. The other formalities were sorted out by 8:30 am and
we were ready for our departure to Timpohon Gate.
About this time, Dr Heng, our Vice President, just back
from a medical mission to evacuate two injured Malaysian
doctors from war-torn Iraq, drove in from KK to join the party.
His arrival was greeted by expressions of great delight by many
members. I must admit I too was overjoyed and relieved to have
him back aboard for his medical expertise.
Sabah Society Boleh! This was proven without a doubt when all members (only a few are shown here) on the first Sabah Society climb of Mount
Kinabalu reached the summit. A remarkable achievement, as the trip was aimed at the old (children are old??) and the unfit.
MARCH–APRIL 2003
Upon arrival at the Timpohon Gate, we had a brief photo
session. Datuk Chan flagged off the team at 9 am. We split into
smaller batches, the quicker ones forged ahead while the slower
ones took their own time to scale the mountain at a leisurely
pace. Ben Chai had already made his intention clear—he was
not intending to go beyond Layang Layang, where he planned
to celebrate his birthday at the staff quarters. He had stocked up
with eight packets of cup-noodles and was determined to spend
the night there. The rest of us soldiered on to our destination—
Laban Rata Rest House at 11,000 feet. I brought up the rear,
together with Dr Ho and Shaji. While Dr Heng’s elder son
Tseng Hui raced up to reach Laban Rata by 11:30 am, we the
rearguard took 6 hours to finally arrive at 3 pm. The weather
was pleasant throughout the day except for a heavy, but brief,
downpour at 1 pm. However, the sky was overcast until 5pm,
when the clouds parted to allow us occasional glimpses of the
rocky summit and its soaring peaks, glinting in the twilight.
Inside the Rest House, our teammates spent their time
chatting and joking as they sipped endless cups of coffee and
tea. The ladies in particular, Chui Chui, Aisah, Grace, Christina,
Lisa, Balvinder, Catherine, Christine, Rina and Mrs Tai, looked
fit and cheerful and none the worse for their exertions. The
Wong family, father and four children, seemed to be the most
relaxed of all. And yet, despite all the carefree banter, there was
some anxiety and tension in the air about the next day’s climb
to the summit. Lisa managed to contact birthday boy Ben and
find that he had reached Layang Layang staff quarters safely. I
spent the evening watching the sunset. Shaji had carried a load
of books published by the Sabah Society all the way up to
Laban Rata. Dr Ho, on behalf of the Society, donated the books
to the caretaker of Laban Rata Rest House for the reading
pleasure of future climbers.
The team was up early next morning at the unearthly hour
of 1 am. Many confessed to not having slept a wink throughout
the night. After a quick breakfast we were off at 2:30 am, with
THE SABAH SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 71
After the climb from Timpohon Gate. it was time for members of The Sabah Society to relax at the Laban Rata Rest House and forget their
anxieties about the following day’s ascent to the summit of Mount Kinabalu.
two guides leading the way and two others bringing up the rear.
We all made good time and reached the ropes at the Sayat Sayat
rock face by 4:30 am. Once again, Chui Chui and the Heng boys
were far ahead, with the Jamiesons, Christine, Balvinder, Lisa
and the Wong family following them. Paul, suffering from
mountain sickness, briefly toyed with the idea of stopping at
Sayat Sayat, before gamely deciding to follow us to the summit.
Grace, Christina, Mrs. Tai, Aisah and Gulam, all showing signs
of exhaustion, nevertheless kept on climbing, with grit and
determination. The atmosphere at 13000 feet has only 50%
oxygen compared to sea level. The slightest exertion on even a
gentle slope is enough to make one breathless and exhausted.
Mark, Dr Ho, Dr Heng and I were at the rear to ensure that no
one was left behind.
We gradually went past the South Peak and St John’s Peak
on our left and Tunku Abdul Rahman Peak, Donkey’s Ears and
Ugly Sisters’ Peak on our right, the last ones from our team
eventually arriving at the foot of Low’s Peak by 7:30 am. By
then, the Jamiesons, Christine and the Wongs decided to come
down from the summit. The last few hundred feet are invariably
daunting for the first-timers, as one is confronted by the narrow
crevices and steep boulders on the way up to the top of the peak.
Gulam and Mark preferred to stop just below the summit. All
the rest made it to the top.
From the top the entire west coast was visible, including
Pulau Gaya and the other islands off the coast at KK. To the
north, Tambuyukon loomed, beyond the North Peak of
Kinabalu. The twin peaks of Mentapok and Menkobo were seen
to our east, jutting above a sea of clouds. Southwards, far on the
horizon, the long Trusmadi range and its peak could be seen, the
second highest mountain in Malaysia. Just in front of us was the
immense chasm of Low’s Gully.
After duly recording our climb with a brief photo session,
our party descended. Some of us made our way to the Sacrifice
Pool for some prayers of thanksgiving to the mountain deity, in
true native tradition. Thereafter started the painful descent back
to Laban Rata and finally down to Timpohon Gate.
Thus ended Sabah Society’s historic climb up Mt Kinabalu.
Enduring images of the climb will remain etched in my memory
forever—the sheer will and determination shown to reach the
target, particularly by Grace, Aisah, Gulam, Christina and Mrs
Tai, the wonderful team spirit displayed by one and all (there
was no bickering whatsoever—unusual for such a large party),
Heng’s cheerful face as he dashed up to the Park at the last
minute to join us, the quiet gentle demeanour of the Jamiesons,
the Tais and the Wongs and the cheerful company of my
younger friends Shaji, Mark and Paul Chin. And yet the most
lingering memory of all, the tuneful morning call by Dr Ho:
Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for the springing, fresh from the word
Sabah Society Boleh!!!!

FORUM
Gaya Street: The Future
Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort
Kota Kinabalu
Wednesday, 19 March 2003
CHAIRMAN: Dr Richard Barrow
SPEAKERS: Datuk Hiew Thien Choi
(Director-General of DBKK 2000–2002)
Datuk Ambrose Lee
(Lawyer, Executive Adviser to Sugar Bun and
entrepreneur)
Datuk Yong Teck Lee
(Lawyer, President of SAPP, former State
Assemblyman & MP for Gaya constituency,
former Sabah Chief Minister)
Dr Chua Kim Heng (present Director-General
of DBKK)
The controversial plan to convert Gaya Street in the heart of
Kota Kinabalu into a pedestrian mall was the subject of a very
well-attended public forum organized by The Sabah Society.
The four speakers were chosen for their close association, in
various ways, with the now-abandoned scheme. The forum
ended in a lively question and answer session during which
members of the audience with varied interests in the area voiced
their opinion of the scheme and its cancellation. Perhaps the
only disappointment was the lack of attendance by Gaya Street
stakeholders (only three attended the forum) despite the
distribution of leaflets to notify them of the forum.
Datuk Hiew Thien Choi, former director-general of DBKK
explained the original concept of the project. It was part of a
much larger plan to revitalize the central business district. Five
Chairman Dr Richard Barrow (centre) with the four speakers (left to right)—Datuk Hiew Thien Choi, Datuk Yong Teck Lee, Datuk Ambrose
Lee and Dr Chua Kim Heng—at the Public Forum on ‘Gaya Street: The Future’ organized by The Sabah Society.
MARCH–APRIL 2003
meetings had been held with stakeholders prior to the
implementation of the plan, but attendance was very poor. He
admitted that the masterplan had flaws, but with changes it
could still proceed. The private sector could take over some
components of the plan.
The present DBKK director-general, Dr Chua Kim Heng,
who showed numerous photos of Gaya Street before, during and
after the project, said that the plans for Gaya Street could be
revived, if the public wants it. Without change the street is likely
to become a slum like Sinsuran Complex. He feels that the
future of the street is in the hands of the people of the city.
Yong Teck Lee, MP and Assemblyman at the time of the
project, who also has his office on Gaya Street, felt that though
the pedestrian mall was a good idea, not all the stakeholders in
the area had been consulted on the planned changes. Their input
to the plan, he felt, was vital to the success of the project.
Ambrose Lee spoke about the Sugar Bun development near
Gaya Street. Although complaints were received about noise
and rubbish during the construction period, the area has now
been totally transformed, the numerous plants giving a forest
feel to the development. Lee pointed out that Jalan Jati did not
belong to Sugar Bun; the company had a ten-year lease on the
street for which it was paying rent. He would like to see the
whole of Gaya Street closed and covered, to provide shelter
from sun and rain.
Chairman Dr Richard Barrow would like to see Gaya Street
developed as an eating-out area for both local families and
tourists. But a pleasant and healthy atmosphere can only be
achieved if the road is closed to all traffic. DBKK could perhaps
offer incentives to suitable businesses to move to the area.
One of the many questions and comments from the floor
was that while a great deal of money was spent on the
development of Gaya Street, nothing was being done to clean
up the filthy back lanes behind it. A case of priorities gone
awry?
All in all, a very successful event. Let’s hope the next
forum—on Likas Bay—will be equally lively.
THE SABAH SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 71

Sabah Society Committee Members for 2003/2004 (left to right): Dr Ho Tze Hok, Mr Albert Teo, Mr Daniel Soo (Hon Treasurer), Dr Richard
Barrow, Datuk Chan Chew Lun (President), Dr Heng Aik Cheng (Vice President), Puan Zahra Yaacob (Hon Secretary), Dr Geoffrey Davison
(Hon Editor (Journal)), Mr Wallace Welliam Tan and Dr Ravi Mandalam.