Major Sabah historical sites overlooked
Published on: Sunday, November 29, 2020
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Pulau Gaya housed the first British settlement and even included a magistrate’s court before the administration shifted to Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu).
Being the third largest source of economic growth for Sabah, tourism has a capacity to become a critical factor for improvement of the tourism industry in Malaysia as a whole.
We realise that Sabah’s tourism industry is in dire straits due to the devastating financial setback from the Covid 19 pandemic but we are optimistic that this sector will bounce back as countries all over the world is working hard to contain this pandemic with the best available measures.
Latest, WHO has announced a vaccine for this desease. In this regard, we should take a serious view of the tourism sector’s growth in the post- Covid 19 that, hopefully, will ease by next year.
In the light of this disastrous pandemic, many have learnt the importance of market diversification in the tourist sector to ensure that the industry moves forward.
October this year, the Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, Datuk Jaffry Ariffin, announced that a committee will be setup to formulate and implement measures to revive the tourism industry in the state post Covid-19.
In terms of tourism products, other than leisure/eco-tourism, Sabah has also embarked into a new journey – the newly completed world-class Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) to elevate the state as a preferred MICE destination.
Sabah’s medical tourism industry is similarly growing, leveraging on quality and modern medical facilities and services at highly competitive price.
Historical tourism or heritage tourism is one of the tourism branches that have to the tourists from all over the world.
It acts as an important marketing tool to attract tourists with special interests in heritage and arts.
It also emerged as a potential form of alternative tourism among both international as well as local tourists.
Actually, what is historical tourism? It is a kind of tourism, where tourist or tour group focuses on history, of some places, people, things or events.
They go, see, experience and discuss places where historical things occured. It will be a portrayal of history of that particular country or region which tells about past events.
Historical tourism can be placed under rural tourism product that are being promoted as Community Based Tourism (CBT) and the government should continue to help and support this tourism sector with additional funding for infrastructure upgrading as well as new ideas from the tourism players.
The State Government has gazetted twenty four heritage sites including Sabah Tourism Board Building, Atkinson Clock Tower, Kota Kinabalu Community Hall, Mat Salleh Monument in Tambunan, Bukit Tengkorak in Semporna, Melalap Train Station in Tenom and Batu Tinangat Light House in Tawau, among others, potential as new tourist destinations.
There is one historical site which can be developed as a new tourism product in the State, that is a 19th century former British Settlement in Pulau Gaya.
Since the attack on that settlement by Mat Salleh in November, 1897, after one hundred and thirty years later, it has been abandoned until today. From State Archieve historical records, we can trace the remnants of the British residents house, office, prison, flour factory and train track.
To revive and convert it into a historical tourism destination, support from the government, Museum department, private sector and local community is crucial.
The government, state or federal, could provide the fund, Museum department issues the permit for excavation work, archaeologists with their expertise and the local community can join the work until it can be opened for tourist destination.
It is a combination of historical, culture and archaeology tourism.
It is easier said than done, but if we, especially the government, have the political will, together with other stakeholders, the private sector, the relevent expertise from university, tourism players, enthusiasts on Sabah history and local community, this tourism niche will find its way up.
Currently, there are three 5 star resorts in Gaya Island, they can add new tourist destination in the island for their hotel guests from all over the the world, apart from its beaches, sunset scenery and the island flora and fauna.
Their guests from the UK surely want to visit the British colonial footprint, our once colonial master in the past.
The great grand children of the first North Borneo Governer, Sir William Treacher would love to pay their visit here, as he did stay in Gaya Island during the British Charterd Company Settlement from 1882 until 1899, before it moved to Jesselton, now Kota Kinabalu City.
Much needs to be done to resuscitate our tourism industry and heritage or historical tourism as one of the products that can attract more tourists to visit our country, with proper marketing and proper planning.
It also can serve to educate the younger generation to know and appreciate history and in a way help to preserve our heritage.
We are racing against time as there are still many historical sites in Sabah which need to be protected and preserved from disappearing from natures’ erosions and adventerous illegal treasure hunters.
Roslan Masran
- While you highlighted the historical value of preserving the first British Settlement on Pulau Gaya, it is hoped another equally significant landmark is not missed. It is the burnt out structure now reduced to pillars on which art is displayed beside the HSBC in downtown KK.
According to under secretary to the last Governor and Sabah’s first State Secretary Stephen Holley (1963-Sept 1964) on the upper floor of this building was where Sabah became the last addition to the British Empire soon after the war in 1947, when the North Borneo Chartered Company could not afford to finance post-war reconstruction and handed the territory to the Queen.
Holley recalled this historic moment on Feb. 15, 1947 in the top floor of the restored Land and Survey office in his memoir “White Headhunter in Borneo” (page 37). Sarawak was the second last to become part of the British Empire a few weeks earlier. Which means British colonialism stopped with Sabah (British North Borneo then) and India was the first to get independence just a year later in 1948.
This crucial information should be in the history books but it is not. It would be wise for the State Govt to recreate the building and turn it into an art display centre as well as historical site. – Ed
Sir Malcolm MacDonald declaring North Borneo as last addition to the British Empire on the top floor of the old Land and Survey building beside HSBC.
The site today.
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