States and Territories of Malaysia
Sabah
Flag of Sabah Coat of arms of Sabah
State motto: Sabah Maju Jaya
Anthem: Sabah Tanah Airku
Capital	Kota Kinabalu
Ruling party	Barisan Nasional
- Yang di-Pertua Negeri	Ahmadshah Abdullah
- Ketua Menteri (Chief Minister)	Musa Aman
History
- Brunei Sultanate	16th century
- Sulu Sultanate	1658
- British North Borneo	1882
- Japanese occupation	1941-1945
- British control	1946
- Accession into Malaysia	1963
Area
- Total	76,115 km²
Population
- 2000 estimate	2,449,389
- Density	32. Sabah Tanah Airku is the Anthem of the Malaysian state of Sabah. Kota Kinabalu (ˈkɔtɑ kɪnɑbɑlʊ formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah, a state in Malaysia, as well as the capital of the West The 12th Malaysian general election was held on March 8, 2008, in accordance with Malaysian laws for national elections, which states that a general election Barisan Nasional ( National Front or BN) is a major political Coalition in Malaysia. Yang di-Pertua Negeri, literally the "head of state" in Malay, is the official title of the (largely symbolic State Governors of the Malaysian A Chief Minister is the elected Head of government of a sub-national (e Haji Musa bin Haji Aman (born 30 March 1951) is the 14th and current Chief Minister of the state of Sabah in Malaysia. The Sultanate of Brunei was very powerful from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century CE For the province see Sulu. The Sultanate of Sulu was a Muslim State that ruled over many of the islands of the North Borneo was an independent state and British Protectorate under the sovereign British North Borneo Company from 1882-1946 and subsequently a Throughout much of World War II, British Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak were under Japanese occupation. This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 2/km²
HDI  (2000)	0. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 729 (medium)
National calling code	087a 088b 089c
National postal code	88xxx to 91xxx
Licence plate prefix	SA1 SB2 SD3 SK4 SS5 ST6 SU7 SG8
Website:	http://www.sabah.gov.my
a For Inner District b For Kota Kinabalu & Kudat c For Lahad Datu, Sandakan & Tawau 1 Kota Kinabalu & Kota Belud 2 Beaufort 3 Lahad Datu 4 Kudat 5 Sandakan 6 Tawau 7 Keningau 8 Sabah State Government vehicle

Sabah is a Malaysian state located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. Telephone numbering in Malaysia is regulated by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC The postal codes used in Malaysia is a 5 digit code Listed below are the first 2 digits of codes assigned to each state and special administrative area Malaysian vehicle license plates ( Malay: Nombor plet kenderaan Malaysia or Nombor pendaftaran kenderaan Malaysia) are License Kota Kinabalu (ˈkɔtɑ kɪnɑbɑlʊ formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah, a state in Malaysia, as well as the capital of the West Kudat is a town in Sabah, east Malaysia, on the northern tip of Borneo island Lahad Datu is a town and district located in Tawau Division, in the east of Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Sandakan is the second-largest city in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the north-eastern coast of Borneo. Tawau is the administrative center of Tawau Division and the third largest town of Sabah after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan. Kota Kinabalu (ˈkɔtɑ kɪnɑbɑlʊ formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah, a state in Malaysia, as well as the capital of the West Beaufort meaning "The Beautiful Fort" in old French it is a town and a district located in Interior Division of Sabah in east Malaysia on the Lahad Datu is a town and district located in Tawau Division, in the east of Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Kudat is a town in Sabah, east Malaysia, on the northern tip of Borneo island Sandakan is the second-largest city in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the north-eastern coast of Borneo. Tawau is the administrative center of Tawau Division and the third largest town of Sabah after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan. Keningau is a sprawling timber and agricultural town and district located in the Interior Division of Sabah, east Malaysia on the island of Borneo For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. It is the second largest state in Malaysia after Sarawak, which it borders with on its south-west. Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the Island of Borneo. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south. East Kalimantan ( Indonesian: Kalimantan Timur abbrv Kaltim) is the second largest Indonesian province, located on the Kalimantan The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. Sabah used to be part of the Sultanate of Sulu until Spanish colonization of the Philippines and later a British crown colony known as North Borneo, prior to partnership with Federation of Malaya, Sarawak and Singapore to form the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. For the province see Sulu. The Sultanate of Sulu was a Muslim State that ruled over many of the islands of the The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom North Borneo was an independent state and British Protectorate under the sovereign British North Borneo Company from 1882-1946 and subsequently a The Federation of Malaya (Persekutuan Tanah Melayu was a federation of 11 states formed on January 31 1948 from the nine Malay states and the British Singapore Its state capital is Kota Kinabalu, formerly known as Jesselton. Kota Kinabalu (ˈkɔtɑ kɪnɑbɑlʊ formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah, a state in Malaysia, as well as the capital of the West Kota Kinabalu (ˈkɔtɑ kɪnɑbɑlʊ formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah, a state in Malaysia, as well as the capital of the West Sabah is known as Sabah, negeri di bawah bayu, which means 'Sabah, land below the wind', because of its location being just south of the typhoon prone region around the Philippines. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP

Contents 1 History 1.1 1500s-1800s 1.2 Second World War and the road to independence 1.3 Philippine claim 2 Geography 3 Government 3.1 State government structure 3.2 The political climate 3.3 Chief Ministers of Sabah 3.4 Administrative divisions 4 Demographics 5 Economy 6 Urban centers and ports 7 Tourism 7.1 National Parks 8 Notable Sabahans 8.1 Politics and governance 8.2 Arts 8.3 Sports 9 Arts and entertainment 10 References 10.1 Footnotes 11 External links

History

1500s-1800s

Sabah or North Borneo was part of the Sultanate of Brunei around the early 16th century. North Borneo was an independent state and British Protectorate under the sovereign British North Borneo Company from 1882-1946 and subsequently a Brunei Darussalam, (bruːˈnaɪ in English officially the State of Brunei Abode of Peace (Negara Brunei Darussalam Jawi: برني دارالسلام This was during the period when the Sultanate's influence was at its peak. In 1658 the Sultanate of Brunei ceded the north-east portion of Borneo to the Sultan of Sulu in compensation for the latter's help in settling a civil war in the Brunei Sultanate. For the province see Sulu. The Sultanate of Sulu was a Muslim State that ruled over many of the islands of the A civil war is a War between a State and domestic political actors that are in control of some part of the territory claimed by the state In 1761 an officer of the British East India Company, Alexander Dalrymple, concluded an agreement with the Sultan of Sulu to allow him to set up a trading post in the region. The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or Alexander Dalrymple ( July 24, 1737 &ndash June 19, 1808) was a Scottish Geographer and the first Hydrographer This together with other attempts to build a settlement and a military station centering around Pulau Balambangan proved to be a failure. Balambangan Island is located off the northern tip of Borneo in the Malaysian state of Sabah. There was minimal foreign interest in this region afterward and control over most parts of north Borneo seems to have remained under the Sultanate of Brunei.

In 1865 the American Consul of Brunei, Claude Lee Moses, obtained a 10-year lease over North Borneo from the Sultan of Brunei. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Ownership was then passed to an American trading company owned by J. W. Torrey, T. B. Harris and some Chinese merchants. They set up a base and settlement in Kimanis but this too failed due to financial reasons. Kimanis is a town and also a parliamentary constituency in the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. The rights of the trading company were then sold to Baron Von Overbeck, the Austrian Consul in Hong Kong, and he later obtained another 10-year renewal of the lease. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders The rights were subsequently transferred to Alfred Dent, whom in 1881 formed the British North Borneo Provisional Association Ltd.

In the following year, the British North Borneo Company was formed and Kudat was made its capital. The British North Borneo Company or North Borneo Chartered Company was a chartered company assigned to administer North Borneo (today's Sabah in Malaysia Kudat is a town in Sabah, east Malaysia, on the northern tip of Borneo island In 1883 the capital was moved to Sandakan to capitalise on its potential of vast timber resources. Sandakan is the second-largest city in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the north-eastern coast of Borneo. In 1888 North Borneo became a protectorate of Great Britain. In International law, a protectorate is a autonomous territory that is "protected" by a stronger state or entity hense the protector which engages to protect See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands Administration and control over North Borneo remained in the hands of the Company despite being a protectorate and they effectively ruled until 1942. Their rule had been generally peaceful except for some rebellions, including one led by the Suluk-Bajau leader Mat Salleh from 1894 to 1900,^[1] and another led by the Muruts which is known as the Rundum resistance in 1915. Mat Salleh Rebellion was a series of major disturbances in North Borneo, now Malaysian state of Sabah, from 1894 to 1900 ^[2]

Second World War and the road to independence

From 1942 to 1945 during the Second World War, Japanese forces occupied North Borneo. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Empire of Japan ( {{unicode|Kyūjitai}}: ja 大日本帝國 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国 pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku Throughout much of World War II, British Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak were under Japanese occupation. The Japanese forces landed in Labuan on January 1, 1942 and continued to invade the rest of North Borneo. Labuan is the main island of the Malaysian Federal Territory of Labuan. Bombings by the allied forces devastated of most towns including Sandakan, which was totally razed to the ground. The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers during the Second World War. Resistance against Japanese occupation were concentrated on the west and north coast of North Borneo. The resistance in Jesselton was led by Albert Kwok and Jules Stephens of the Kinabalu Guerillas. Another resistance was led by Panglima Alli from Sulug Island, off the coast of Jesselton. In Kudat, there were also some resistance led by Tun Datu Mustapha. Kudat is a town in Sabah, east Malaysia, on the northern tip of Borneo island On October 10, 1943, the Kinabalu Guerrilas together with followers of Panglima Alli staged a surprise attack on the Japanese. Events 680 - Battle of Karbala: Shia Imam Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is decapitated Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The attack however was foiled. The 324 local residents who participated in the attacks, including Albert Kwok and Panglima Alli, were detained in Petagas and later executed on January 21, 1944. Events 1189 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[3] The site of the execution is today known as the Petagas War Memorial. The Petagas War Memorial garden was erected in memory of World War II fighters who sacrificed their life to protect their mother land while fighting the Japanese particularly

When Japan surrendered at the end of the war, North Borneo was administered by the British Military Administration and in 1946 it became a British Crown Colony. The British Military Administration (BMA was the Interim administrator of British Malaya between the end of World War II and the establishment of the The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom Jesselton was chosen to replace Sandakan as the capital. The Crown continued to rule North Borneo until 1963. On August 31, 1963 North Borneo attained self-government. There was a call for complete independence on that date by it was denied by the British Governor whom remained in power until Malaysia Day. Malaysia Day is held on September 16 every year to commemorate the establishment of Malaysian federation on the same date in 1963 ^[4] The intention had been to form Malaysia on August 31 but due to objection from the Philippines and Indonesia, the formation had to be postponed to September 16. On September 16, 1963, North Borneo together with Malaya, Sarawak and Singapore formed the Federation of Malaysia and from then on, it became known as Sabah and declared independent from British sovereignty. The Federation of Malaya (Persekutuan Tanah Melayu was a federation of 11 states formed on January 31 1948 from the nine Malay states and the British Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the Island of Borneo. Singapore For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and ^[2][5] To safeguard the interest of North Borneo in the new federation, a 20-point agreement was entered between the federal and the state government. The 20-point agreement, or the 20-point memorandum, is an agreement made between the state of Sabah (then North Borneo with what would be the federal government of

Philippine claim

Main article: Sabah dispute

The Sultanate of Sulu was granted the territory as a prize for helping the Sultan of Brunei against his enemies and from then on that part of Borneo is recognized as part of the Sultan of Sulu's sovereignty. The status of the territory of Sabah, previously known as North Borneo, is currently disputed between Malaysia and the Philippines. For the province see Sulu. The Sultanate of Sulu was a Muslim State that ruled over many of the islands of the Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. In 1878, Baron Von Overbeck, an Austrian partner representing The British North Borneo Co. and his partner British Alfred Dent, leased the territory of Sabah. In return, the company will provide arms to the Sultan to resist the Spaniards and 5,000 Malaysian ringgits annual rental based on the Mexican dollars value at that time or its equivalent in gold. This lease have been continued until the independence and formation of the Malaysian federation in 1963 together with Singapore, Sarawak and Malaysia. Singapore Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the Island of Borneo. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and

Despite the supply of arms, the Sultanate of Sulu came under the control of Spain. In 1885, Spain relinquished all of its claim to Borneo to the British in the Madrid Protocol of 1885. The Madrid Protocol of 1885 is an agreement between Great Britain, Germany and Spain to recognize the sovereignty of Spain over the Sulu Archipelago

While the claim still being exist, the present situation of illegal immigrant from Philippine entering causing much social problem for Sabah will only put the people of Sabah more fearful of this claim. In event this claim brought forward to International Court Of Justice, most people in Sabah will reject and current Malaysia Federal Government has feel the pressure from the people of Sabah.

See also: History of Malaysia and History of Brunei

Geography

The western part of Sabah is generally mountainous, containing the three highest mountains in Malaysia. The most prominent range is the Crocker Range which houses several mountains of varying height from about 1,000 metres to 4,000 metres. Crocker Range ( Banjaran Crocker in Malay) is a Mountain range on the island of Borneo. At the height of 4,095 metres, Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Malaysia and the second highest in Southeast Asia after Puncak Jaya in Indonesia. Mount Kinabalu ( Gunung Kinabalu) is a prominent Mountain in Southeast Asia. Puncak Jaya (ˈpʊntʃak ˈdʒaja sometimes called Mount Carstensz or the Carstensz Pyramid, is a mountain in the Sudirman Range, the western central The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. While the government of Malaysia officially considers it the highest mountain in Southeast Asia, there are counterclaims that Puncak Jaya is the highest mountain. Puncak Jaya (ˈpʊntʃak ˈdʒaja sometimes called Mount Carstensz or the Carstensz Pyramid, is a mountain in the Sudirman Range, the western central The argument centres around whether New Guinea could be considered a part of Southeast Asia. So far there is no precise consensus on this, and the view that Mount Kinabalu is indeed the tallest mountain in Southeast Asia is more prevalent. The jungles of Sabah are classified as rainforests and host a diverse array of plant and animal species. Rainforests are Forests characterized by high Rainfall with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm (68-78 inches Kinabalu National Park was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2000 because of its richness in plant diversity combined with its unique geological, topographical, and climatic conditions. Kinabalu National Park or Taman Negara Kinabalu in Malay, established as one of the first national parks of Malaysia in 1964, is Malaysia's first A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex ^[6]

Lying nearby Mount Kinabalu is Mount Tambuyukon. Mount Tambuyukon or Tamboyukon ( Gunung Tambuyukon) is Malaysia 's third highest mountain at 2579 m (8462 ft At a height of 2,579 metres, it is the third highest peak in the country. Adjacent to the Crocker Range is the Trus Madi Range which houses the second highest peak in the country, Mount Trus Madi, at a height of 2,642 metres. The Trus Madi Range is a range of mountains in Sabah, Borneo. Mount Trus Madi or Trusmadi ( Gunung Trus Madi) is Malaysia 's second highest mountain at. There are lower ranges of hills extending towards the western coasts, southern plains, and the interior or central part of Sabah. These mountains and hills are traversed by an extensive network of river valleys and are in most cases covered with dense rainforest. Rainforests are Forests characterized by high Rainfall with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm (68-78 inches

The central and eastern portion of Sabah are generally lower mountain ranges and plains with occasional hills. Kinabatangan River begins from the western ranges and snakes its way through the central region towards the east coast out into the Sulu Sea. The Kinabatangan River (Sungai Kinabatangan is located in Sabah, eastern Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. The Sulu Sea is a large sea in the southwestern area of the Philippines. It is the second longest river in Malaysia after Rejang River at a length of 560 kilometres. The Rajang River is a river in Sarawak, Malaysia. The river is located in northwest of Borneo and it originates in the Iran Mountains The forests surrounding the river valley also contains an array of wildlife habitats, and is the largest forest-covered floodplain in Malaysia. ^[7]

Other important wildlife regions in Sabah include Maliau Basin, Danum Valley, Tabin, and Sepilok. Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, also known as the Northernmost tip of Borneo, is located in the district of Kudat, in the state of Sabah, Maliau Basin or also Maliau Basin Conservation Area, is a region in Sabah, Malaysia, which represents a geological Catchment surrounding the Danum Valley Conservation Area is the largest protected lowland dipterocarp forest in Sabah, Malaysia. Tabin Wildlife Refuge is a nature preserve in Sabah, eastern Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre is located about 25 kilometers west of Sandakan, in eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo in the state of These places are either designated as national parks, wildlife reserves, virgin jungle reserves, or protection forest reserve.

Over three quarters of the human population inhabit the coastal plains. Major towns and urban centers have sprouted along the coasts of Sabah. A town is a type of settlement ranging from a few to several thousand (occasionally hundreds of thousands inhabitants although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan The interior region remains sparsely populated with only villages, and the occasional small towns or townships. A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet, but smaller than a Town or City. A township (or Municipality) is a settlement which has the status and powers of a unit of local government

Beyond the coasts of Sabah lies a number of islands and coral reefs, including the largest island in Malaysia, Pulau Banggi. An island (ˈaɪlənd or isle (/ˈaɪl/ is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water in two dimensions above high tide and isolated from other significant Coral reefs are Aragonite structures produced by living organisms found in marine waters with little to no nutrients in the water Banggi Island is located within the Kudat Division of Sabah in Malaysia. Other larger islands include, Pulau Jambongan, Pulau Balambangan, Pulau Timbun Mata, Pulau Bumbun, and Pulau Sebatik. Jambongan Island is located on the northern coast of Sabah in Malaysia. Balambangan Island is located off the northern tip of Borneo in the Malaysian state of Sabah. Timbun Mata Island (or Pulau Timbun Mata) is the largest island on the south side of Darvel Bay (also known as Teluk Lahad Datu) in Semporna Sebatik Island ( Pulau Sebatik) is an island off the eastern coast of Borneo, partly within Indonesia and partly within Malaysia. Other popular island mainly for tourism are, Pulau Sipadan, Pulau Selingan, Pulau Gaya, Pulau Tiga, Pulau Layang-Layang, and many more. Sipadan is the only oceanic island in Malaysia, rising 2000 feet or 600m from the seabed Turtle Islands National Park ( Taman Negara Pulau Penyuh) is located some 40 kilometers north of Sandakan in Sabah, east Malaysia. Pulau Gaya is a sizeable Malaysian island of 1465 ha just 10 minutes off Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Tiga Island, also called Tokanod, is a small island in the South Pacific Ocean. Swallow Reef, known as Layang-Layang Island ( Dusun for Place of Swallows) in Malaysia, Danwan Jiao ( Chinese: 弹丸礁

Government

State government structure

• See Also:Breakdown of State Seats Representatives elected 2008

Sabah has a democratic political system with universal suffrage. The States of Malaysia that lie on Borneo ( East Malaysia) are subdivided into divisions. Districts in Malaysia are known as Daerah or Jajahan (in Kelantan The following are the members of the Dewan Undangan Negeri, or state assemblies elected in the Malaysian general election 2008. Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system A political system is a System of Politics and Government. It is usually compared to the Law system, Economic system, Cultural Universal suffrage (also universal adult suffrage, general suffrage or common suffrage) consists of the extension of the right to vote to The Yang di-Pertua Negeri sits at the top of the hierarchy followed by the State Legislative assembly and the State Cabinet. Yang di-Pertua Negeri, literally the "head of state" in Malay, is the official title of the (largely symbolic State Governors of the Malaysian A general election for State and Federal level officials is held every five years. A general election is an Election in which all or most members of a given political body are up for election The state parliament or the state legislative assembly meets at the state capital, Kota Kinabalu. The state is divided into 25 parliamentary constituencies and 60 state assembly districts where each is represented by an elected Member of Parliament (MP) and Member of the State Legislative Assembly respectively.

The present elected State and Federal Government posts are held by Barisan Nasional (BN), a coalition of parties which includes United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO), Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA). Barisan Nasional ( National Front or BN) is a major political Coalition in Malaysia. A coalition is an alliance among individuals during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own Self-interest. The United Malays National Organisation, or UMNO, (Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Bersatu is a Right-wing party and Malaysia 's largest Political The Sabah Progressive Party ( Parti Maju Sabah) is a Political party based in Sabah, east Malaysia. The United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation ( UPKO) is a Political party based in Sabah, east Malaysia. Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or PBRS ( United Sabah People's Party) is a minor Political party based in Sabah, east Malaysia. The Parti Bersatu Sabah ( PBS, or United Sabah Party) is a Political party in Sabah, east Malaysia. The Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal Demokratik is a Chinese Political party originally founded in the town of Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA ( Cantonese: MaLoiSaiYa WahYen KoongWui; Persatuan Cina Malaysia

The last state election was in 2004 and as of 2006, the state legislature has 60 members. It comprises 59 BN State Legislature Members (Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri) and a single independent. Of this, 32 are from UMNO, 13 from PBS. 5 from UPKO, 4 from the SAPP, 3 from LDP, and one each from MCA and PBRS. ^[8]

The political climate

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 Sabah would join the Federation. North Borneo was an independent state and British Protectorate under the sovereign British North Borneo Company from 1882-1946 and subsequently a The 20-point agreement, or the 20-point memorandum, is an agreement made between the state of Sabah (then North Borneo with what would be the federal government of Sabah entered Malaysia as an autonomous state with a Christian Kadazan-Dusun chief minister, but soon succumbed to Kuala Lumpur's vision of a one-party unitary Islamic state dominated by the indigenous Muslim Bajau and Brunei Malay people. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and An autonomous area is an area of a Country that has a degree of Autonomy, or freedom from an external authority Kadazan-Dusun is the term assigned to the unification of the classification of two indigenous tribes in Sabah, Malaysia &mdashthe ethnic groups Kadazan A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of Party system Government in which a single Political party For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Bajau, (also written as Badjao, Badjaw or Badjau) are an indigenous Ethnic group of Malaysia and the southern Malays (Melayu are an Ethnic group of Austronesian peoples predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast This has created considerable friction and even occasional calls for secession. Secession (derived from the Latin term secessio is the act of withdrawing from an organization union or especially a political entity These tensions are further inflamed by Kuala Lumpur's colonial mentality towards Sabah, wherein 95% of the profits from Sabah's immense natural resources are taken by the federal government, leaving the state government with only 5%. Aside from nominally separate immigration controls, little evidence remains of Sabah's theoretical autonomy.

Until the Malaysian general election, 2008, Sabah, along with the states of Kelantan and Terengganu, are the only three states in Malaysia that had ever been ruled by opposition parties not part of the ruling BN coalition. The 12th Malaysian general election was held on March 8, 2008, in accordance with Malaysian laws for national elections, which states that a general election Kelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. Terengganu ( Jawi: ترڠڬانو, formerly spelled Trengganu or Tringganu) is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia Led by Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, PBS formed government after winning the 1985 elections and ruled Sabah until 1994. Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan (born August 17, 1940) is a Malaysian politician and was the sixth Chief Minister of Sabah, a Due to certain internal troubles, BN took over the government in 1994 despite PBS winning the elections. PBS subsequently joined the BN coalition in 2002.

A unique feature of Sabah politics was a policy initiated by the BN in 1994 whereby the Chief Minister's post is rotated among the coalition parties every 2 years regardless of the party in power at the time, thus theoretically giving an equal amount of time for each major ethnic group to rule the State. This extremely weakens the executive branch of the State government, which was formerly much at odds with the federal government in Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur (ˈkwɑːləlʊmˈpʊər Malay /kwɑlɑlʊmpʊ/ and locally /kwɑləlʊmpɔ/ or even /kɔlɔmpɔ/ or often abbreviated as K It also serves to give a disproportionate power to the indigenous Muslim Bajau ethnic group, at the expense of the mainly Christian indigenous Kadazan-Dusun, the largest ethnic group. The Bajau, (also written as Badjao, Badjaw or Badjau) are an indigenous Ethnic group of Malaysia and the southern Kadazan-Dusun is the term assigned to the unification of the classification of two indigenous tribes in Sabah, Malaysia &mdashthe ethnic groups Kadazan This practice has since stopped with power now held by majority in the state assembly by the UMNO party, which also holds a majority in the national Parliament.

There has been conspiracy theory that the Chief Minister post rotation system was implemented to allow UMNO to control the post permanently by abolishing the whole system once it was UMNO's turn to hold the post. It has never been proven but it is considered impossible for UMNO to get a hold of the post through any other method. The conspiracy theory was brought up once again when a division from UMNO proposed to implement the same rotation system in Penang, one of the two states which is currently not controlled by UMNO but is under BN rule - the other state being Sarawak. Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the Island of Borneo. The proposal was raised even though UMNO abolished the system in Sabah by declaring it a failure.

UMNO had a quick rise to power since its entry into Sabah in 1991 where before that both eastern Malaysian states were not penetrated by the party, whose president is the de facto leader of the ruling coalition BN and automatically the Prime Minister of Malaysia. This has given rise to dissent as the Chief Minister rotation system was halted just as UMNO was holding the post. Thus the 2004 general elections saw widespread disillusionment, coupled with an ineffectual opposition. The state assembly is now dominated by the ruling party BN with only one seat held by an opposition politician who is an independent candidate. This was caused by a general sentiment where a number of voters were reluctant to cast votes for BN whose victory was almost assured but did not trust the opposition parties, most of which were not vigorously active before the election. Therefore many cast votes for independent candidates.

Sabah politics, as are Malaysia's is very much based upon party lines. An effort by PBS, a component party of BN, to hatch a co-operation with the one opposition candidate within the state assembly, whom conversely was a former UMNO member competing independently because he was not nominated for the constituency by his party, in an unprecedented attempt at bipartisanship, was harshly criticized by UPKO, another component party of BN.

Chief Ministers of Sabah

Year	Chief Minister	Party
1963-1964	Tun Fuad Stephens	United National Kadazan Organization (UNKO) - BN
1965-1967	Datuk Peter Lo Sui Yin	Sabah Chinese Association (SCA) - BN
1967-1975	Tun Mustapha Datu Harun	United Sabah National Organization (USNO) - BN
1975-1976	Tun Said Keruak	USNO - BN
1976 (44 days)	Tun Fuad Stephens	Berjaya - BN
1976-1985	Datuk Harris Mohd Salleh	Berjaya - BN
1985-1994	Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan	PBS - Opposition (In partnership with BN in 1986-1990)
1994-1995	Tun Sakaran Dandai	UMNO - BN
1995-1996	Datuk Salleh Mohd Said	UMNO - BN
1996-1998	Datuk Yong Teck Lee	SAPP - BN
1998-1999	Tan Sri Bernard Dompok (now UPKO)	Parti Demokratik Sabah (PDS) - BN
1999-2001	Datuk Seri Osu Haji Sukam	UMNO - BN
2001-2003	Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat	LDP - BN
2003-present	Datuk Seri Musa Aman	UMNO - BN

Administrative divisions

Sabah consists of 5 administrative divisions, which are in turn divided into 24 districts. Tun Haji Mohammad Fuad Stephens, previously known as Donald Stephens, was the first Chief Minister of the state of Sabah in Malaysia. Tun Haji Mohammad Fuad Stephens, previously known as Donald Stephens, was the first Chief Minister of the state of Sabah in Malaysia. Datuk Harris bin Mohd Salleh, was the 6th Chief Minister of the state of Sabah, in Malaysia. Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan (born August 17, 1940) is a Malaysian politician and was the sixth Chief Minister of Sabah, a Tan Sri Dato' Bernard Giluk Dompok (born 7 October 1949) is a Minister in the Prime Minister Department of Malaysia Osu Sukam, or Datuk Seri Panglima Osu Bin Haji Sukam, is an ex- Chief Minister of the state of Sabah, Malaysia. Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat (born June 2, 1948) was the 13th Chief Minister of Sabah, Malaysia. Haji Musa bin Haji Aman (born 30 March 1951) is the 14th and current Chief Minister of the state of Sabah in Malaysia. The States of Malaysia that lie on Borneo ( East Malaysia) are subdivided into divisions. Districts in Malaysia are known as Daerah or Jajahan (in Kelantan

These administrative divisions for all purposes just for reference. During the British rule until the transition period when Malaysia was formed, a Resident was appointed to govern each division and provided with a palace (Istana). A Resident, or in full Resident Minister, is a state official of certain representative -diplomatic and/or colonial- types required to take up permanent residency abroad officially This means that the British consider each of this division equivalent to a Malayan state. The post of the Resident was abolished in favour of district officers for each of the district.

	Division Name	Districts	Area (km²)	Population (2006)[9]
1	West Coast Division	Kota Belud, Kota Kinabalu, Papar, Penampang, Ranau, Tuaran	7,588	953,900
2	Interior Division	Beaufort, Nabawan, Keningau, Kuala Penyu, Sipitang, Tambunan, Tenom	18,298	420,800
3	Kudat Division	Kota Marudu, Kudat, Pitas	4,623	189,500
4	Sandakan Division	Beluran, Kinabatangan, Sandakan, Tongod	28,205	676,000
5	Tawau Division	Kunak, Lahad Datu, Semporna, Tawau	14,905	756,800

See also: Politics of Malaysia

Demographics

The population of Sabah was 2,449,389 in 2000^[10] and was the third most populous state in Malaysia after Selangor and Johor. The States of Malaysia that lie on Borneo ( East Malaysia) are subdivided into divisions. Districts in Malaysia are known as Daerah or Jajahan (in Kelantan Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology West Coast Division is an administrative division of Sabah, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. Kota Kinabalu (ˈkɔtɑ kɪnɑbɑlʊ formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah, a state in Malaysia, as well as the capital of the West Papar is a town as well as a district located in West Coast Division of Sabah, east Malaysia. Penampang is a district as well as a small town (Penampang Proper within the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Tuaran is a town as well as a district located in West Coast Division, in the northwest of Sabah, East Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Interior Division is an administrative division of Sabah, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. Beaufort meaning "The Beautiful Fort" in old French it is a town and a district located in Interior Division of Sabah in east Malaysia on the Nabawan is a town located in Interior Division of Sabah, east Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Keningau is a sprawling timber and agricultural town and district located in the Interior Division of Sabah, east Malaysia on the island of Borneo Kuala Penyu is a town located in Interior Division of Sabah, east Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Sipitang is a town district and also a parliamentary constituency located in Interior Division of Sabah, east Malaysia on the Tambunan is a valley district located in the Interior Division of the state of Sabah. Tenom is a town located in Interior Division of Sabah, east Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Kudat Division is an administrative division of Sabah, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. Kota Marudu is a tiny district of Kudat Division, Malaysia with approximately 19 Kudat is a town in Sabah, east Malaysia, on the northern tip of Borneo island Pita (also called and less commonly known as pitta or pide (Turkish pitka (Bulgarian and pronounced "pitta" in Greek is an often round Sandakan Division is an administrative division of Sabah, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. Beluran is a town and a district located in the Sandakan Division, in east Sabah, Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Kinabatangan is a district located in Sandakan Division, in the east of Sabah, Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Sandakan is the second-largest city in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the north-eastern coast of Borneo. Tongod is a district within Sandakan Division in Sabah, Malaysia. Tawau Division is one of the five administrative sub-divisions of Sabah, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. Kunak is a small town located in Tawau Division, east coast of Sabah. Lahad Datu is a town and district located in Tawau Division, in the east of Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Semporna is a town located in Tawau Division, in the east coast of Sabah, Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Tawau is the administrative center of Tawau Division and the third largest town of Sabah after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan. The politics of Malaysia takes place in a framework of a federal parliamentary monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister of Malaysia is the Head of government Selangor ( Jawi script: سلاڠور population 72 million is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. Johor (alt English spelling Johore, Jawi scriptجوهر is a state of Malaysia between 1°20"N and 2°35"N It is estimated that Sabah's population has exceeded that of Johor with an estimated population of 3,400,000 in 2007. ^[11] Sabah indeed has one of the highest population growth rate in the country. This is mainly due to immigration policy favoring Muslims, which has resulted in an influx of immigrants from Philippines and Indonesia, both legally and illegally. It is widely believed that these privileges were implemented to subvert the indigenous Kadazan-Dusun minority, by importing large numbers of Muslims and hence a powerbase for the Islamic-dominated UMNO through the alleged Project IC. Project IC is the name used in Malaysia to describe the allegation of systematic granting of citizenship to immigrants (whether illegal or legal immigrants by giving them ^[12] Today, non-Malaysian citizens make up one-quarter of the total population. The official population estimate for the year 2006 is put at 2,997,000. ^[9] The composition of the population are^[9]:

• Kadazan-dusun: 17. Kadazan-Dusun is the term assigned to the unification of the classification of two indigenous tribes in Sabah, Malaysia &mdashthe ethnic groups Kadazan 8%
• Bajau: 13. The Bajau, (also written as Badjao, Badjaw or Badjau) are an indigenous Ethnic group of Malaysia and the southern 4%
• Malay: 7. Malays (Melayu are an Ethnic group of Austronesian peoples predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast 5%
• Murut: 3. The Murut are an indigenous Ethnic group inhabiting northern inland regions of Borneo. 3%
• Other bumiputra: 17. 6%
• Chinese: 9. Malaysian Chinese is a Malaysian of Chinese origin Most are descendants of Chinese who arrived between the fifteenth and the mid-twentieth centuries 6%
• Other non-bumiputra: 4. 8%
• Non-Malaysian citizen: 25%

The people of Sabah are divided into 32 officially recognized ethnic groups. The largest non-indigenous ethnic group is the Chinese. Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. Most Chinese people in Sabah are concentrated primarily at Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, and Tawau. Kota Kinabalu (ˈkɔtɑ kɪnɑbɑlʊ formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah, a state in Malaysia, as well as the capital of the West Sandakan is the second-largest city in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the north-eastern coast of Borneo. Tawau is the administrative center of Tawau Division and the third largest town of Sabah after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan. Kota Kinabalu has the highest concentration of Chinese people in Sabah, followed by Sandakan (second highest) and Tawau (third highest). The largest indigenous ethnic group is Kadazan-Dusun, followed by Bajau, and Murut. Kadazan-Dusun is the term assigned to the unification of the classification of two indigenous tribes in Sabah, Malaysia &mdashthe ethnic groups Kadazan The Bajau, (also written as Badjao, Badjaw or Badjau) are an indigenous Ethnic group of Malaysia and the southern The Murut are an indigenous Ethnic group inhabiting northern inland regions of Borneo. There is a very small number and proportion of Indians and other South Asians in Sabah compared to other parts of Malaysia. Malaysian Indians are a group of Malaysians largely descended from those who migrated from southern India during the British colonization Collectively, all persons coming from Sabah are known as Sabahans, and also identify themselves as such.

Malay is the national language spoken across ethnicities, although the spoken Sabahan dialect of Malay differs much in inflection and intonation from the West Malaysian version, having more similarity in pronunciation to Indonesian. The Malay language ( ISO 639-1 code MS is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people and people of other ethnic groups who reside in the Indonesian or Bahasa Indonesia, based on the Riau version of Malay language, was declared the official language with the declaration of English, Chinese Mandarin as well as the Chinese dialects of Hakka and Cantonese are widely understood. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The Hakkas ( Hakka language: Hak-kâ; Mandarin Chinese: Kèjiā) are a subgroup of the Han Chinese people who live predominantly In addition, Kadazan-Dusun, Bajau, Murut and other minor races also have distinct ethnic languages. Kadazan-Dusun is the term assigned to the unification of the classification of two indigenous tribes in Sabah, Malaysia &mdashthe ethnic groups Kadazan The Bajau, (also written as Badjao, Badjaw or Badjau) are an indigenous Ethnic group of Malaysia and the southern The Murut are an indigenous Ethnic group inhabiting northern inland regions of Borneo. Sabah also have their own unique Sabahan-slangs for many words in Malay.

The federal government of Malaysia officially recognizes 28 ethnic groups as being indigenous or bumiputra in Sabah:

Kadazan-Dusun Malay Kwijau Murut Bajau Illanun[13] Lotud Rungus Tambanuo Dumpas Mangka'ak Suluk Orang Sungai Brunei

Kedayan Bisaya Beaufort *Tidong Maragang Orang Cocos Paitan Ida'an Minokok Rumanau Chinese of mixed bumiputra parentage Other inhabitants: Filipino Sarawak indigenous groups Serani

See also: Demographics of Malaysia

Economy

Sabah's economy was traditionally heavily lumber dependent, based on export of tropical timber, but with increasing depletion of the natural forests and ecological efforts to save remaining natural rainforest areas, palm oil has emerged as a more sustainable resource. The term Indigenous Peoples or autochthonous peoples can be used to describe any Ethnic group who inhabit a geographic region with which they have the earliest historical Kadazan-Dusun is the term assigned to the unification of the classification of two indigenous tribes in Sabah, Malaysia &mdashthe ethnic groups Kadazan Malays (Melayu are an Ethnic group of Austronesian peoples predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast The Kwijau or Kuijau are an indigenous Ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. The Murut are an indigenous Ethnic group inhabiting northern inland regions of Borneo. The Bajau, (also written as Badjao, Badjaw or Badjau) are an indigenous Ethnic group of Malaysia and the southern The Iranun are an Ethnic group of Mindanao, Philippines and the west coast of Sabah, Malaysia, in 25 villages around the Kota The Lotud are an indigenous Ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. The Rungus are an Ethnic group of Borneo, residing primarily in northern Sabah in the area surrounding Kudat. The Tambanuo are an indigenous Ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. The Dumpas are an indigenous Ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. The Mangka'ak are an indigenous Ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. The Orang Sungai ( Malay for River People are a group of indigenous people native to the state of Sabah, Malaysia. Brunei Darussalam, (bruːˈnaɪ in English officially the State of Brunei Abode of Peace (Negara Brunei Darussalam Jawi: برني دارالسلام The Kedayan are an Ethnic group residing in Brunei, Labuan, Sabah, and parts of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. The Bisaya are an indigenous people of northwestern Borneo, Malaysia, concentrated around the Limbang river in northern Sarawak state The Tidong are an Ethnic group of Borneo, residing primarily in the Bulungan Regency, in the province of East Kalimantan, Indonesia The Maragang are an indigenous Ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. The Orang Cocos are an Ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. The Ida'an are an ethnic group of Borneo, residing primarily in the Lahad Datu districts on the east coast of Sabah, Malaysia. The Minokok are an indigenous Ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. The Rumanau are an indigenous Ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Malaysian Chinese is a Malaysian of Chinese origin Most are descendants of Chinese who arrived between the fifteenth and the mid-twentieth centuries Filipinos or the Filipino people are the citizens of the Philippines. Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the Island of Borneo. The Kristang are an Ethnic group of people of mixed Portuguese and Asian descent which arose in Malacca ( Malaysia) between Ethnicity Malays See also Malays (ethnic group Malays are an ethnic group of Austronesian peoples predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula Lumber or timber is Wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural Material for Construction, or The following table associates tree species wood name and wood colour Rainforests are Forests characterized by high Rainfall with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm (68-78 inches Palm oil is an edible plant oil derived from the Fruit of the Arecaceae Elaeis Oil palm. Other agricultural products important in the Sabah economy include rubber and cacao. CACAO is a research Java Virtual Machine developed at Vienna University of Technology. Tourism is currently the second largest contributor to the economy. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel There are other exports; like seafood & vegetable.

In 1970, Sabah ranked as one of the richest states in the federation, with a per capita GDP second only to Selangor (which then included Kuala Lumpur). ^[14] However, despite its vast wealth of natural resources, Sabah is currently the poorest of Malaysia's states. Natural resources are naturally occurring substances that are considered valuable in their relatively unmodified ( natural) form Average incomes are now among the lowest in Malaysia, and with a considerably higher cost of living than in West Malaysia. Cost of living is the Cost of maintaining a certain Standard of living. In 2000, Sabah had an unemployment rate of 5. Unemployment occurs when a person is available to work and currently seeking work but the person is without work. 6 per cent - the highest of any Malaysian state and almost twice the national average of 3. 1 per cent. The state has the highest poverty level in the country at 16 per cent, more than three times the national average. The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of Income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate Standard of living in a given country Part of the problem is the inequitable distribution of wealth between the State and the Federal government, and large numbers of illegal immigrants from Indonesia, Philippines, even East Timor, whose population was estimated to be in the region of half a million people. Distribution of wealth is a comparison of the Wealth of various members or groups in a Society, and is one aspect of the Economy and Social structure In 2004, the poverty level worsened to 22 per cent^[15].

The recent tabling of Ninth Malaysia Plan has allocated RM16. Ninth Malaysian Plan (Rancangan Malaysia ke-9 abbreviated as '9MP' is a comprehensive blueprint prepared by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU of the Prime Minister's Department and the 908 billion for Sabah, the second highest state allocation after Sarawak's but it is still only 8% of the total national budget for a population of Sabah of more than 13%, and area of more than 25%. This is clearly discriminatory and had contributed to the state of Sabah having the largest number of people below poverty line in Malaysia, and lower than the Indonesian national poverty rate and in the same level as Aceh and Myanmar based on 2004 United Nations figures. ^[15],^[16],^[17],^[18].

The fund is pledged to improve the state's rural areas, improving the state's transportation and utilities infrastructures and boosting the economy of Sabah. The government has placed its focus on three major areas of the economy which have the potential to be Sabah's growth engine. These are agriculture, manufacturing and tourism.

When this discriminatory budget against Sabah and Sarawak was pointed out, the allocation for Sabah was increased from the earlier figure of 15. 7 billion RM while there is none for Sarawak. The reason given to Sarawak's Chief Minister, as reported by Borneo Post (11th Nov. 2007) is that it is not economical to develop Sarawak. Sarawak is to be the source of renewable resources for Malaya. This situation applies to Sabah as well except that Sarawak's renewable resources are not even meant for Sabah. The percentage of the total budget is still much less than Sabah's population and area burdens, and this is a classic example of too little and too late.

Urban centers and ports

There are currently 7 ports in Sabah: Kota Kinabalu Port, Sepanggar Bay Container Port, Sandakan Port, Tawau Port, Kudat Port, Kunak Port, and Lahad Datu Port. These ports are operated and maintained by Sabah Ports Authority. ^[19] The major towns and city are:

Rank	City	Population [20]
1	Kota Kinabalu	532,129
2	Sandakan	448,074
3	Tawau	349,962
4	Lahad Datu	119,938
5	Keningau	97,152
6	Semporna	71,157
7	Kudat	34,481

Tourism

Tourism, particularly eco-tourism, is a major contributor to the economy of Sabah. Kota Kinabalu (ˈkɔtɑ kɪnɑbɑlʊ formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah, a state in Malaysia, as well as the capital of the West Sandakan is the second-largest city in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the north-eastern coast of Borneo. Tawau is the administrative center of Tawau Division and the third largest town of Sabah after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan. Lahad Datu is a town and district located in Tawau Division, in the east of Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Keningau is a sprawling timber and agricultural town and district located in the Interior Division of Sabah, east Malaysia on the island of Borneo Semporna is a town located in Tawau Division, in the east coast of Sabah, Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Kudat is a town in Sabah, east Malaysia, on the northern tip of Borneo island Ecotourism, also known as ecological tourism, is a form of Tourism that appeals to ecologically and socially conscious individuals In 2006, 2 million tourists visited Sabah^[21] and it is estimated that the number will continue to rise following rigorous promotional activities by the state and national tourism boards and also better stability and security in the region. Sabah currently has 6 national parks. One of these, the Kinabalu National Park, was designated as a World Heritage Site in 2000. Kinabalu National Park or Taman Negara Kinabalu in Malay, established as one of the first national parks of Malaysia in 1964, is Malaysia's first A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex It is the first of two sites in Malaysia to obtain the status, the other being the Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak. Gunung Mulu National Park near Miri, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses incredible Caves These parks are maintained and controlled by Sabah Parks as under the Parks Enactment 1984. Sabah Parks is a conservation -based statutory body established in 1962 with the purpose of conserving the scenic scientific and historic heritage of the state of Sabah Wildlife Department also has conservation, utilization, and management responsibility. For other uses of Sabah see Sabah (disambiguation. Sabah Wildlife Department, a local wildlife authority under Sabah's state Ministry for ^[22]

National Parks

• Mount Kinabalu National Park - the second highest mountain in Southeast Asia with an altitude of 4,101 metres (13,455 ft). Kinabalu National Park or Taman Negara Kinabalu in Malay, established as one of the first national parks of Malaysia in 1964, is Malaysia's first It is only lower than Puncak Jaya in Irian Jaya on the island of New Guinea, Indonesia at 4,884 metres. Puncak Jaya (ˈpʊntʃak ˈdʒaja sometimes called Mount Carstensz or the Carstensz Pyramid, is a mountain in the Sudirman Range, the western central New Guinea, located just north of Australia, is the world's second largest island, having become separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia.
• Turtle Islands Park - conservation efforts for endangered sea turtles
• Tunku Abdul Rahman Park - A National Park consisting of five islands off the coast of Kota Kinabalu
• Pulau Tiga National Park
• Crocker Range National Park
• Tawau Hills Park

Notable Sabahans

Politics and governance

Mat Salleh was a Suluk-Bajau who led a rebellion against British North Borneo Company administration in North Borneo. Turtle Islands National Park ( Taman Negara Pulau Penyuh) is located some 40 kilometers north of Sandakan in Sabah, east Malaysia. Sea turtles ( Superfamily Chelonioidea) are Turtles found in all the world's oceans except the Arctic Ocean. Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park was established in 1974 just offshore Kota Kinabalu, in Sabah, east Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Pulau Tiga National Park was established in 1978, although the area has been under protection as a forest reserve since 1933. Crocker Range Park was established in 1984 although the area had previously been under protection as a forest reserve Tawau Hills National Park, also Tawau Hills Park, was established in 1979 primarily as a protection for the Water catchment area of Tawau town in Sabah Mat Salleh Rebellion was a series of major disturbances in North Borneo, now Malaysian state of Sabah, from 1894 to 1900 Under his leadership, the rebellion which lasted from 1894 to 1900 razed the British Administration Centre on Pulau Gaya and exercised control over Menggatal, Inanam, Ranau and Tambunan. The rebellion was comprised of Bajaus, Dusuns and Muruts. ^[1]

Another notable Sabahan is Donald Stephens who helped form the state of Sabah under the UN appointed Cobbold commission. Tun Haji Mohammad Fuad Stephens, previously known as Donald Stephens, was the first Chief Minister of the state of Sabah in Malaysia. He was an initial opponent of Malaysia but was persuaded by Lee Kuan Yew with an offer of 8 University places for Sabahan students at the University of Malaya, Singapore. Lee Kuan Yew, GCMG, CH ( born September 16 1923 also spelled Lee Kwan-Yew) is a Singaporean of Chinese immigrant background

Donald Stephens was the first Huguan Siou or paramount leader of the Kadazan-dusun and Murut people. Kadazan-Dusun is the term assigned to the unification of the classification of two indigenous tribes in Sabah, Malaysia &mdashthe ethnic groups Kadazan

Tun Datu Mustapha was a Suluk-Bajau Muslim political leader in Sabah through the United Sabah National Organisation (USNO) party^[4]. He was a vocal supporter of Malaysia and founded the Sabah chapter of Umno in 1990. He was Sabah's first Governor from 1963-65, third Chief Minister from 1967-75 and twice Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Sabah Affairs, from 1965-67 and 1993-94.

Former Chief Minister, Joseph Pairin Kitingan is the current Huguan Siou and the President of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS). Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan (born August 17, 1940) is a Malaysian politician and was the sixth Chief Minister of Sabah, a The Parti Bersatu Sabah ( PBS, or United Sabah Party) is a Political party in Sabah, east Malaysia. Pairin, the longest serving Chief Minister of the State and one of the first Kadazandusun lawyers, was known for his defiance to the federal government in the 1980s and 90s in promoting the rights of Sabah and speaking out against the illegal immigrant problems. Sabah was at the time one of only 2 states with opposition governments in power, the other being Kelantan. PBS has since rejoined BN and Datuk Pairin is currently the Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah.

The 8th and current Attorney General of Malaysia, Abdul Gani Patail, comes from Sabah. The Attorney General of Malaysia, also referred to as the A-G ( Peguam Negara) is the principal legal adviser to the Government of Malaysia.

In 2006, Penampang born Richard Malanjum was appointed Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak and became the first Kadazandusun to hold such a post. Penampang is a district as well as a small town (Penampang Proper within the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Kadazan-Dusun is the term assigned to the unification of the classification of two indigenous tribes in Sabah, Malaysia &mdashthe ethnic groups Kadazan

Arts

Sabah has produced a fair number of well-known media figures. Noteworthy mentions include filmmaker Tony Francis Gitom, television presenter Daphne Iking, Guess model Amber Chia, actresses Fung Bo Bo, Chung Shuk Wai and musicians Roger Wang, Pete Teo, Jerome Kugan, Mia Palencia, Yan Qing, Gary Cao , Maryanne Raymond (a. Guess, (styled as GUESS?) is an American name-brand clothing line. Amber Chia (, Pinyin: Xiè Lìpíng; born December 14 1981 is an Malaysian model Gary Chaw (born July 9, 1979 in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia) also known as Gary Cao or Cao Ge is a Malaysian k. a DJ Mary of TraxxFm),Constantine Anthony(a. k. a DJ Constantine of TraxxFm),Shahrizan Ferouz(a. k. a DJ TheShaz of TraxxFm) John Paul Lee (a. k. a. DJ Johnboy Lee of Hitz. FM & Bigfish Radio), Nikki Palikat (Malaysian Idol 1 finalist), Velvet Aduk, Richael Gimbang, Felix Agus, Yazer Yusof, Asma Ghani, Lotter Edin, Linda Nanuwil, Marsha Londoh, Adam Mat Saman, Nora Daud, Noni Zainuddin, Candy Clement, Stacy Anam, Ebi Yaimal, Farha Jasmen, (Akademi Fantasia), Ayu Damit (Winner OIAM season 2), Yanie Julkarim, Pija Yasin, Fiq Halim (Mentor), Farish Aziz (Astro's Ronda 360 Darjah & Fulus Mania).

Sports

Matlan Marjan is a former player for Malaysia. Matlan Marjan was a professional football player from the state of Sabah, Malaysia. The Malaysia national football team is the national team of Malaysia and is controlled by the Football Association of Malaysia. He scored two goals against England in an international friendly on June 12, 1991. The English national football team represents England in international football and is controlled by The Football Association, the governing body for football The English team included Stuart Pearce, David Batty, David Platt, Nigel Clough, Gary Lineker and captained by Bryan Robson while coached by Bobby Robson. ^[23] No other Malaysian player managed to achieve this. In 1995, he along with six other Sabah players were arrested on suspicion for match-fixing. The Football Association of Sabah ( Malay: Persatuan Bola Sepak Sabah) enters a team in Malaysian football competitions to represent Although the charges were dropped, prevented from playing professional football and was banished to another district. Exile means to be away from one's home (ie city state or country while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened by prison or death upon return Districts in Malaysia are known as Daerah or Jajahan (in Kelantan ^[24][25] He was punished under the Internal Security Act (which allows for indefinite detention without any trial, and in this case despite being proven innocent, and even on non-security related issues). The Internal Security Act 1960 ( ISA) (Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri is a Preventive detention law in force in Malaysia.

Arts and entertainment

Many Sabahans contestants have attained high-placing results on local shows such as Malaysian Idol, Akademi Fantasia, Gangstarz and Blast-Off. Some notable contestants are Nicolette Palikat, Adam Mat Saman AF2, Velvet Aduk, Marsha Londoh, Felix Agus, Linda Nanuwil, Nora Daud AF4, Rich Gimbang AF4, Lotter Edin, Evoke, Alvin of Infinatez and the band Jiaja. Nicolette Louisa Palikat (born November 1, 1985) better known by her stage name "Nikki" is a Malaysian Singer from Tambunan Sabah's first homegrown film was Orang Kita, starring Abu Bakar Ellah.

Some films and TV shows filmed in Sabah include the first season of reality show Survivor, The Amazing Race, Eco-Challenge Borneo, films Bat*21, and Sacred Planet, as well as a number of Hong Kong production films. Survivor Borneo was the first season of the United States Reality show Survivor. The Amazing Race 4 was the fourth installment of the popular Reality television show on US television The Amazing Race. Bat*21 is a 1988 movie directed by Peter Markle, and adapted from the book by William Charles Anderson. Sabah was also featured in Sacred Planet, a documentary hosted by Robert Redford.

Daling-daling is now the preferred dancing routines among Sabahan Suluks and Bajaus. In its original form, it is a dance which combines Arabic belly dancing and the Indian dances common in this region complete with long artificial finger nails and golden head gear accompanied by a Suluk song called Daling-daling which is a love story. Its main characteristic is the large hip and breast swings but nowadays it is danced with a faster tempo but less swings, called Igal-igal.

Sabah's first established newspaper was the New Sabah Times. The New Sabah Times is a Newspaper in Sabah, Malaysia. It was first known as the Sabah Times when it was founded in 1949 The newspaper was founded by Tun Fuad Stephens, who later became the first Chief Minister of Sabah. Tun Haji Mohammad Fuad Stephens, previously known as Donald Stephens, was the first Chief Minister of the state of Sabah in Malaysia. A Chief Minister is the elected Head of government of a sub-national (e

American author Agnes Newton Keith lived in Sandakan between 1934-1952 and wrote several books about Sabah. Agnes Jones Goodwillie Newton Keith ( July 4 1901 &ndash March 30 1982) was an American author best known for her three

In the Earl Mac Rauch novelization of Buckaroo Banzai (Pocket Books, 1984; repr. Buckaroo Banzai is the lead character played by Peter Weller, of the eponymous 1984 Cult film, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th 2001), and in the DVD commentary, Buckaroo's archenemy Hanoi Xan is said to have his secret base in Sabah, in a "relic city of caves. "

References

• Gudgeon, L. W. W. 1913. British North Borneo. Adam and Charles Black, London.
• Chin, Ung-Ho. 1999. 'Kataks', Kadazan-Dusun Nationalism and Development: The 1999 Sabah State Election (Regime Change And Regime Maintenance In Asia And The Pacific Series No 24, Department Of Political And Social Change, Research School Of Pacific And Asian Studies, Australian National University) (ISBN 0-7315-2678-3)

Footnotes

External links

• Sabah Government
• Laws of Sabah
• History of Sabah- Written by C. Buckley, 1968
• Sabah Tourism Board
• Daily Express, the local newspaper with the largest circulation in Sabah
• WWF Heart of Borneo conservation initiative - Information about the Heart of Borneo - 220,000 km² of upland montane tropical rainforest, where endangered species such as the orang-utan, rhinoceros and pygmy elephant cling for survival.

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