Lahad Datu

Biography

Archeology study shown that the earlier human(paleolithic) community stay in Tinkayu and Madai Cave.It was the time when early humans gained increasing control over their surroundings and later saw the emergence of modern humans around 20,000 years ago. Stone tool manufacturing developed a more sophisticated tool making technique which permitted the creation of more controlled and consistent flakes. Hunting provided the primary food source but people also began to exploit shellfish and may have begun smoking and drying meat to preserve it. This would have required a mastery of fire and some sites indicate that plant resources were managed through selective burning of wide areas. There is also some evidence of purposeful burial of the dead which may indicate religious and ritual behaviors. History of Sabah shown that Idahan's is the earlier community stay in Madai Cave 10 000yrs ago.

LAHAD DATU NAME COME FROM?  

History shown that in 1870's during the era of Sultan Sulu (Jamal Al Alam), Has order a noble(titled) rich man Datu Baginda Putih from Philippines search for a new land place of peace, to find a new home away from the conflict their facing with the Sepanyol Govt in Philippines. Datu Baginda Putih found small village area and the development grow, then the rumor attract more titled rich people from Philippine to come and stay, since that the place called DATU as in "Bajau" mean place for the ( titled & rich people), and in "Idahan" KERUGAU mean land of the sea shell which can found along the beach from Tungku to Kunak. LAHAD mean place. LAHAD DATU mean place for noble ,titled, and rich people.

Lahad Datu in Tawau Division is located east of  Malaysia known as the cowboy small town the 'wild East' of Borneo. The population is an intriguing mixture of Sarawakian, Filipinos, Sulu islanders, Orang Bugis, Timorese, Idaan's, kadazan dusun, Chinese and Malays, the mix east of Sabahan.

During the Second World War, the Japanese made Lahad Datu their naval headquarters for east Borneo. After the war, the timber companies moved in and the British employer carry more of the foreign and local workers to work with British Kennedy Bay Timber Company. The Timber Company built Lahad Datu's first plywood mill in the early 1950s base in Silam Camp ( Kennedy Bay).

Oil palm plantations grew up very wildly in the hinterland after the timber boom finished in the 1970s. As for the town, growing together with the changes of the development.The mixture of Lahad Datu community made it a unique historical cowboy town, with the biggest oil palm plantation producer in Sabah. Now with new nick name given officially as PALM CITY in Dicember 2009,  has transform the landscape and the surrounding of Lahad Datu. 

Black Dot

Been years since a great tragedy in April 2000, the Philippines-based radical Islamic group Abu Sayyaf kidnapped 21 people from Sipadan,Semporna (2hr 1/2 drive from Lahad Datu). And the Borneo Paradise Eco Farm Resort kidnap in October 2003 (35min drive from Lahad datu). Give  a big impact on tourism in East Sabah specially in Lahad Datu Tourism. Where the place for the virgin forest of Danum Valley and Tabin Wildlife Reserved located here in Lahad Datu.
Now the whisper of outsider people talking about Lahad Datu the town of pirates and the wild east <.. No More. Since the government base every station in the sea and land protected by the Marines and the Army,Police to make the town safer place to be, specially for the local people and the tourist.

Kampung Panji

Is one of the oldest water village in Lahad Datu with a busy small dry and wet market at the end of Jalan Teratai, where many of the poor immigrant and local families leave and earn a living as fisherman.

Few of the communities are known as the sea people (the gypsy)season migrated. Mean they leaved in sea and when the weather are really bad (monsoon) they will search shelter in the mainland of Lahad Datu small town. During the monsoon season we can see many gypsy families and kid's homeless roaming around the town and sleep at the sidewalk.(an eye witness)

Forest Reserved and Parks
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Batu Tulug Caves
Located at Batu Putih village from kinabatangan river, that's 45minutes (41km) from Lahad Datu small town. Agop Batu Tulug is a steep limestone cliff 39 meters high. The"Agop" words mean "cave" in orang sungai's language "Tulug" mean "sleep"in Visayan language. Mean to be the caves been a sleep place for the soul, since the the final resting for more then hundreds wooden coffins. There are three main caves;
1.Agop suriba (lower on forest floor)
2.Lintaga (middle)
3.Sawat (Upper between 12-15 metres high)

Lintaga and Sawat caves place more then hundred carved wooden coffins, mostly of the coffins made for the Borneo Ironwood "Belian Wood" and it shown just how long the Belian wood can be lasting, since to be the coffins were 200 -250 years old. 
Orang sungai's beliefs every coffins resemble of different animals guardian, that shown on the carved of the coffins with animal shapes (If the cover is shaped like an animal then the coffin house the body of Man).If the cover has no particular shape, then the coffin houses the body of Woman. Research beliefs other then the orang sungai story they also found Chinese artifacts, this shown that the coffins belonged to early Chinese trades who once settled in the areas.
Now the Batu Tulug are Archeological Museum  for research purpose since 1996's basis facilities and information center are located in this area. Open for Public knowledge with entrance fees daily from 9.00am -5.00pm.


Tabin Wildlife Reserved

Tabin Mud Volcano,Lahad Datu

satisfaction nothing more then the Love of Nature

student mud bath experience

Education Trip by Local Student and (SEPA)team

Tabin wildlife Resort

Tabin Wildlife

Gazetted in 1984 as a protected forest area, Tabin is one of Sabah's largest and most important wildlife reserves and, according to the WWF research, this place is one of the last refuges of the endangered Sumatran rhino. Since the opening of Tabin Resort in 2002.

Distant : 50km (1 1/2 drive from Lahad Datu ) plantation road

 In addition, it's in one of the most exciting settings, from the resort 45min walk before you reach the sign  to the mud-volcano another 700m(20min) to the mud volcano - favoured as a mineral for the mammals. 

The reserve offers a wide variety of trails and various wildlife habitats. There are several huge bubbling mud volcanoes an easy trek from the resort.

Since the reserve consists of large areas of previously logged and now recovering forest and also due to its considerable size, covering 120,500 ha, it's particularly good for observing Bornean mammals and Birds. Pygmy elephants, wild pigs, civets and macaques are often seen on evening safaris close to palm oil plantations; otters make their homes in the river below the jungle resort; and by staking out the mud volcano for a night even a close encounter is possible with a sun bear. There are occasional sightings of the Sumatran Rhinoceros as Tabin is one of their last natural breeding spots. It is estimated that only 300 of these animals are left in the wild. 


Taliwas Forest Reserved & Recreation Area (TFRA)
Taliwas are located 45minutes drive from Lahad Datu town, about 10,000 hectares comprises of the large tract of forested area extends from Ulu Segama Forest Reserve.The Taliwas station was built by State Forestry in middle 1970's as agroforestry and enrichment planting programmes. In 2003 the station took over by Yayasan Sabah Group for Research and Development Programmes include recreation and education centre.


i.Forest Plantation (improvement and propagation)
to investigate the suitablility of forest plantation species. the main studied include Octomeles sumatrana, Neolamarckia cadamba, Mahogany,Acacias. etc.
ii.Research Nursery
iii.Medical Plants
iv.Forest Recreation Activities
alterbative for eco-tourism,recreation,environmental education programme and agroforestry tourism

Winged Fruits

The Nature Breeze..

Huger tree leaves

BORNEO Rainforest Lodge Danum Valley

Danum Valley Field  Centre /Conservation Area (DVFC)
Danum Valley Conservation Center or Research center is located in the south-east of Sabah. 2 1/2hours from small town of Lahad Datu. The 43,800 hectare land is one of the undisturbed lowland dipterocarp rainforestin Sabah. The centre which was opened in 1984 is situated at the edge of the Conservation Area.


Permission must be obtained from the Danum Valley Management to conduct research in DVCA. Since 1984 Danum Valley Consevation Centre tied a research programme between Sabah and Federal Government with The Royal Society of United Kingdom.


The Programme target are;
i.To gain scientific understanding of the ecological processes and evolution mechanisms that sustain tropical rainforest.
ii.To provided training and education for local and international student in ecology forestry and wildlife science.
iii.To assess the impact of logging and provide information which may contribute to improve forest management .

Danum Research Centre

the bridge at Danum Research Centre

Danum Research Centre site area map

One of the best site for research study and work field for forestry and wildlife science. for those who plan to stay in Danum Valley Conservation Centre, Best place to learn and appreciated the nature environment.Don't expect more for tourism traveler, the facilities at DVCA are basic. Recommended tourist to stay at BRL.(Borneo Rainforest Danum Valley, another 1hour ride from this centre)

Madai Caves

About 69Kilometres off from Lahad Datu  via Tawau road, near Kunak Watch out for the signpost  'Gua Madai" And from the turn-off another 3km to the cave. The caves are an important archaeological site; there is evidence they were inhabited over 15,500 years ago. Well known for bird nesting  business. Birds' nests are harvested from the caves three times a year by local Idahan's people whose claim the bird nest. The best time to visit the place from the month of February-April and July - September.The collector will climb onto bamboo ladder to access the nest from the crannies of the cave.To visit this place, permission must be obtained from the Idahan's elder and the villages of Madai.Have to respect for the Local Culture.

Bukit Silam (Silam Hills) Hill Tower (Darvel Bay)

From Lahad Datu (8km) via Tawau road, junction between Danum Valley to Kennedy Bay,Silam Camp.A road leads up to the Silam Hill's(Bukit Silam)  602m to a Telekom station. There short trekking trails to the summit, advice to go with local friends familiar with the area. There are good views over the bay, see through the sea .when it isn't misty or in rain season not advisable to go. 

Latest Photo taken @ the Bukit Silam 01-05-2011,(survey trip)

Oldest School in Lahad Datu

S.R.K Kennedy Bay (Silam Camp)

During the British Kennedy Bay Timber Company.. the welfare of the company concern for their workers children which development and education is important. In 1962's the first school was built and officially open in 1963's known as "Jean Emmet English School" private school. The supply and welfare for the development of the school fully sponsor by Pacific Hardwood Sdn.Bhd. The school built under 2.6 hectare own by Goverment  land of Yayasan Sabah. In 1985's The school officially changed  name to S.R.K Kennedy Bay (Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Kennedy Bay). Email : skkbld@gmail.com .

One of the oldest School in Lahad Datu.

(still remember i when to this school under Principal of Joseph Chelaya in 1980')

Best People in Services;

1.Mrs. Lourdes Hacut 1963 -1975

2.Mr.Alan Atit 1976-1978

3.Mr.Joseph Chelaya 1979-1983

4.Mr.Harun Abdul Rahim 1994-1995

revisited SK KENNEDY BAY LDU2011

SK KENNEDY BAY 2011

THE view from SK KENNEDY BAY

St.Dominic Lahad Datu
Holy trinity school Tawau,  expended their school here in Lahad Datu as primary school and registered in 19, Jun 1952 as St.Dominic's School ( English school) and soon become independent English school under the care and advisor of Rev.Father Dominic Bekama, a British Roman Catholic Missionary and together with first members who teach english in this school;  are; 
Mr C.S Rajayah
Mr Michael Yong @ Zulkarnean Abdullah
Mr Chong Yui Choi

In 1953, the first session of classes started with only two room class, class1 and class2 with 20 student.  Mr Chong Yui Choi hold the post as principal from 1954-1955.The student increase to 70 student and they out of rooms, so they combined the class and divided it,to room class 1(for class 1,2,)and room class 2(for 3and4). 
Rev.Father Dominic not only Adviser for the English School, his also a missionary for the Christian Community in Lahad Datu.

In 30 December 1955, another Rev. arrived in Lahad Datu from St.Mary's School Sandakan to help the community in teaching and religion. Rev.Father John Clementi, a italian priest. local call as "Saviour and Education Developer". 
Rev.Father John Clementi save St.Dominic from closing, due to a diplomatic issues that facing  the school. With his Knowledge and help St.Dominic survived and raise fund to make the school alive! and with his help St.Dominic become bigger and can accommodate more student and help more student gain education.

In the early year 1956 till 1971 St.Dominic become 1st English school in Lahad Datu.
From 1971 till 1977 Rev.Father John Clementi as Adviser and principal of St dominic, he help  the St.Dominic and the Community to built all together 7blocks school 16 rooms and 2 science lab, before his service ended by the Government in the aged 63 (16 April 1977).Rev,Father John Clementi also the Rector Adviser for the Subject teaching in the school.Together with Rev.Father Chee there idea and proposal to build another block B building, not only place for the Priest, Class for English School but also the church for masses in the ground floor.