Tag: Sabah

A legend of how the Timugon Murut people came into existence

by Patricia Hului -

The Timugon Murut is one of the 29 ethnic groups of Murut people. Overall, the Murut people can be found mainly in Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia as well as in Brunei and Kalimantan, Indonesia. As for Timugon Murut, they mainly live in Sabah. Each of the ethnic group of Murut people

The forgotten All Saints Chapel of Sandakan POW Camp

by Patricia Hului -

The ruins of huts in the prisoner of war camp, Sandakan, North Borneo, October 1945. Those who were too ill for the march were eventually murdered here. Credits: Public Domain (Copyright expired) Courtesy Australian War Memorial: 120457 Do you know there was an Anglican chapel at Sandakan prisoners of war

What happened to the 300 prisoners of Labuan POW camp during WW2?

by Patricia Hului -

Flying over the prisoner of war camp (POW) in Batu Lintang at a low height, RAAF Beaufighter pilots reported sighting white POWs, clad in khaki shorts, who excitedly waved as the RAAF aircraft flew over to drop leaflets announcing Japan's surrender. Credits: Public Domain (Copyright expired). https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C242106 When it comes to

The forgotten Javanese forced labourers of Sandakan during WWII

by Patricia Hului -

The forgotten Javanese forced labourers or romusha of Sandakan during WWII The Allied Prisoners of Wars (POWs) who were taken to Sandakan during World War II (WWII) had one job, to build an airstrip for the Japanese. The site of the Sandakan airstrip was selected during WWII for a United Kingdom’s Royal

John Skinner, the last man executed at Sandakan POW Camp

by Patricia Hului -

“In the Sandakan prisoners’ compound, Warrant Officer Hisao Murozumi had his sword raised. It would be the last atrocity in this camp in this backwater of war. Terrible things happen in battle. In the heat and smoke of it, morality enters a strange world. Killing is survival. What Murozumi was

The attack on Captain de Fontaine in British North Borneo

by Patricia Hului -

Somewhere in a village called Kawang in Sabah, stands an obelisk called the De Fontaine Memorial. It was built by the British North Borneo Company (BNBC) to remember what took place on that spot on May 12, 1885. On that day, a group of British officials from the BNBC and members of

Operation Kingfisher, the rescue mission that never took place

by Patricia Hului -

Do you know that there was a so-called rescue plan for the Sandakan Death Marches code-named Operation Kingfisher? The death march was a series of forced marches in Borneo from Sandakan to Ranau which resulted to the deaths of 1,047 prisoners-of-war (POWs). Meanwhile, the remaining 1,381 never left the Sandakan camp

The cession of Sipitang by Brunei Sultanate to British North Borneo

by Patricia Hului -

Just like Sarawak, many of North Borneo (present-day Sabah)’s territories were part of the Brunei Sultanate. These territories were slowly annexed by the British North Borneo Chartered Company (BNBC) into the British North Borneo including Sipitang. The people of Sipitang (Sepitong, Sipitong or Si Pitong) So what is it like in Sipitang during

Japanese immigrants in North Borneo before World War II

by Patricia Hului -

Somewhere near the Tanjung Batu Street of Tawau, Sabah there is an old cemetery site. There, Japanese people were laid to rest. One might assume that they died during World War II (WWII) when Sabah was under Japanese occupation. However, a vast majority of them died way before the Second World War. Who