A Fight to the Death

An account by Mr R.K. Hardwick of his encounter with a Moro that almost ended his life. Hardwick was the Assistant District Officer of the Labuk and Sugut District in 1908 in the then British North Borneo.

In 1908, an appeal from the Panglima of the Tigabu Island was sent to the Resident of Kudat. Tigabu is an island about 20 miles north of the Paitan River. Hardwick described the inhabitants of the island as a mixture of sea Bajaus and Binadans.

In that same year, a Moro from Tawi Tawi group of islands in the Sulu Sea escaped from the American authority and fled to Tigabu. He was wanted for several murders by the American and a price was put on his head. He was wanted 'dead or alive'. This Moro's name was Si Kisi or just Kisi.

The Politics of Federalism : Syed Kechik in East Malaysia

North Borneo was granted its Independence on 31 August 1963(1). Sixteen days later it formed Malaysia with Sarawak, Singapore and the Federation of Malaya i.e. on 16 September 1963.

Donald Stephens, Tun Fuad as he was known then, was appointed Sabah's first Chief Minister while Datu Mustapha was appointed her first Head of State. Datu Mustapha had expected that as Head of State, he would retain many functions previously in the purview of the all powerful Governor. When he realized that contrary to his expectations, it was the Chief Minister who wielded power, he became frustrated and refused to co-operate with Stephens. It got so bad that the government was unable to efficiently go about conducting the business of governing. The Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, mediated and the solution was for Stephens to step down. Stephens stepped down on 31 December 1964 and took up the position of federal minister for Sabah Affairs and Civil Defense. Replacing him as Chief Minister was Peter Lo who previously held the position as Federal Minister without portfolio.(2)

Views of British North Borneo - Review

I found this book which was published in 1899, about 112 years ago in London. It was digitized and can be read here. Its title Views of British North Borneo : with a brief History of the Colony and it was published only 17 years after the British North Borneo Charted Company (BNBCC) set foot in North Borneo. The book was published to show the progress of the BNBCC in North Borneo and also I think, to generate interest for the folks or businesses at home to come and invest in North Borneo. 

North Borneo was telegraphically linked to the America, England and Australia among others as early as 1899

Help Nab Muhammad Saad Ali Hassan

We need to help the police to apprehend a foreigner who was allegedly to have assaulted a fellow tourist from Canada and two local women recently in Kota Kinabalu. He is said to be an Arab, country unknown. His reported name is Muhammad Saad Ali Hassan. 

The cause of the provocation was reported to be because the Canadian tourist gave his local Chinese girlfriend a kiss on the cheek on the lounge area of a Bed and Breakfast establishment. He was reported to have gone into a tirade about the couples' action having insulted his belief. Coverage is here.

To be fair to all parties, subject has to be apprehended to help the police conduct investigation to clear the air so that no party is maligned in this matter. To be able to do that, the police has to get him into their safe custody. I would advise that you do not apprehend him personally should you encounter him but to call the police immediately, that is 999. If not, call the President of Sabah Backpackers Association, Mr Tommy Chaw at 010 982 9693. 

Do not endanger yourself or the subject by apprehending the subject yourself, let the authority do their job and have faith in the police. 

Please help broadcast this so that we have closure and justice to all parties concerned including the subject.

Alleged video grab: 

Bonding With Gaya Street - The Program

About 5 more days to Bonding With Gaya Street(BWGS). The BWGS team has been working round the clock to make this event meaningful to the community in Gaya Street and the city of Kota Kinabalu and to larger extend, Sabah!

Briefly, there will be free movie screening on 10 February 2012 at Padang Merdeka, starting from 8pm to 11pm. 

BWGS will be officially launched by the Lord Mayor Datuk Abidin Madingkir on 12 February 2012. Then in the evening, A Go Go concert by our local veteran bands. I've seen them practicing, I tell you they will rock your world! 

Check out the details of BWGS program.

Pirates and Slave Trading - North Borneo

I was reading A Decade in Borneo, written by Ada Pryer or Ada Blanche Locke. She is the wife of the first Resident of the British North Borneo Chartered Company (BNBCC) in Sandakan and in North Borneo, Mr William Burges Pryer. It was published in 1893; fourteen years after the founding of Elopura or Sandakan and about six year prior to the demise of William B. Pryer on 11 Januay 1899 at age 54 *1. Sandakan was founded by Mr Pryer on 21 June 1879 *2.

Pryer's monument in Sandakan. Souce : http://www.aboutsabah.com.my/?p=2549

Bonding With Gaya Street

Phew! It's been a while since I write anything, I wonder whether this blog still have followers :P. Why the absence? If you read yesterday's Daily Express, you would have seen this :P 

Yup that's me in the centre! LOL. I'm serving as the advisor of the Bonding with Gaya Street community heritage exhibition organized by our group North Borneo History Enthusiasts (NBHE).