29Jun

Sabah history enriched with new diaries of Woolley

KOTA KINABALU: History materials in the Sabah Museum on colonial North Borneo (now Sabah) have been made more comprehensive with the launching yesterday of the final two volumes of diaries by George C. Woolley, a top British officer of the colonial era. The Woolley diaries are considered one of the most important references for historians on Sabah’s history of that era. “The G.C Woolley diaries chronicle his tour of duty in British North Borneo from 1901-1932. His works, writings and contributions proved invaluable to the people of Sabah,” Sabah Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Christina Liew said at the book launching at the G.C Woolley Hall at the State Museum here. The text of her speech was delivered by Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Assafal P. Alian. The Englishman travelled to many places in the then North Borneo to conduct land surveys, solved land disputes, and was an avid diary-keeper. Woolley enjoyed keeping artefacts, snapping photos of people and places, and capturing the lifestyle and native customs during his many adventures throughout Sabah, yesterday’s gathering was told. He handed most of his collection, including all his 12 diaries to the state government before his death in 1947. His collections eventually became one of the key foundations to the establishment of the Sabah State Museum. “It is from Woolley’s diaries that led to the formation of the 1930 Land Ordinance which enabled natives to (for the first time) own land titles and better safeguard their rights,“ said Christina who commended the State Museum for the completion of the G.C Woolley diaries. The Diaries of George C. Woolley, Volume 3: 1913-1919 and Volume 4: 1919- 1926 was edited by Danny Wong Tze Ken, Professor of History at Universiti Malaya and Sabah Museum’s senior curator, Stella Moo-Tan. In her opening remarks, Stella said the third of four volumes of the pre-war Diaries of George C. Woolley, an officer of the North Borneo Company Administrative, covers the period from 1913- 1919 – Woolley’s third tour of duty in Sabah which he spent as Commissioner of Lands. Meanwhile the fourth and final volume contains entries from his notebooks numbered 9-12 kept at the Sabah Museum – the largest of the four volumes with over 600 pages with 16 maps and 262 photographs. “The Diaries of George C. Woolley were also nominated by Malaysia for the UNESCO Memory of the World in 2016,” said Stella. During the event, Geoffrey Nicholas Woolley who was nephew of the most celebrated British colonial officer, extended his appreciation and gratitude to the State Museum, Sabah and the Federal Government for the immense amount of work and dedication to highlight his great uncle’s contribution to Sabah’s history. “I’m deeply honoured and it is absolutely heartening for the contribution of the Sabah State Museum, Sabah and Malaysian Government who has dedicated so much efforts into publishing this extremely meaningful collection of diaries of G.C Woolley,” he said in a recorded statement. Among those who attended the occasion included Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Rosmadi Datu Sulai and State Mufti Bungsu Aziz Christina proposed that the Woolley Collection of Diaries and Glass Negatives to be selected for state heritage under the new state heritage enactment 2017. “It gives me immense honour to congratulate this wonderful achievement by the Sabah State Museum and I think it’s also the right time and befitting that the Woolley Collection of Diaries and glass negatives are considered as State Heritage, “said Christina. The two latest volumes are available for purchase, for volume three at RM 200, and Volume Four at RM250. Volumes three and four retails for RM360, while total price for the complete set is RM640. Source: New Sabah Times
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25Apr

Lest we forget: 100 join commemoration run

KOTA KINABALU: About 100 avid runners took part in the Lest We Forget Run 2018, held simultaneously all over Australia yesterday to capture the ANZAC spirit. The 4km run started at Padang Merdeka here and ended at Kota Kinabalu City Hall compound were flagged off by deputy High Commissioner of Australia to Malaysia Michael Growder and City Hall Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai. The run which covers Jalan Padang, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Nenas and Jalan Istana was to remind the public about the Second World War atrocities of the Japanese armies who forced over 2,400 British and Australian prisoners of war (POW) to march for a torturous 160 miles from Sandakan to Ranau. The run was also to remember the allied heroes during the liberation of Sabah and to raise the public awareness that our freedom was assured by the supreme sacrifice of our fallen heroes. In Malaysia, the inaugural run was held on May 2, 2014 at Sandakan which themed ‘Remembrance of Our Fallen Heroes’. The run was to promote the War Memorial Park in Sandakan at Taman Rimba which is the actual site of the Japanese POW camp. The run also cement the bond shared between Sabah and Australia ever since the Japanese occupation 1942-45. –By Paul Mu Source: New Sabah Times
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17Apr

Book on Sir Charles James Jessel, after whom Jesselton was named, launched by his great-grandson

KOTA KINABALU: For much of his life, George Jessel was unaware that a quaint town in Sabah had been named after his great-grandfather. He has spent the last few years retracing his family's connection with Jesselton, as Kota Kinabalu was formerly known, culminating in a book that was launched here in Hyatt Regency Hotel today. "No one ever mentioned anything about Jesselton until my father told me about its significance during a phone call many years ago," he said, adding that the revelation sparked his fascination with Sabah. The state capital began life as the town of Api-Api, before it was taken over in 1899 by the British North Borneo Company (BNBC) and transformed into their new administrative centre. It was renamed Jesselton, after Sir Charles James Jessel, who was vice chairman of BNBC. The name was retained until 1967, when it was changed to Kota Kinabalu. "Sadly, Sir Charles himself never visited Jesselton. I myself flew here (from the United Kingdom) in 2011, and later felt a need to write down my thoughts and add a little bit of history for my children to read," said George. In his book, George explores the role his great-grandfather had in Jesselton, while also recounting his time spent in the bustling capital city of Sabah. "It is a great honor to write this book. And while I'm not a writer, I want to carry on my family's legacy here by writing about this beautiful city," enthused George, 60. State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun who was guest of honor during the launch, said the British had left behind an impressionable mark in Sabah's history. "There are many parts or landmarks of Sabah named after prominent British figures - such as Beaufort, Atkinson, and Weston. "Like them, Jesselton lives on, even if it is now called Kota Kinabalu. There are so many more stories that can be told about the state's history. "This, I hope, will be a catalyst and launch a series of books that can be written about that part of our history," he said. Source: New Straits Times
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19Mar

KK pre-war building celebrates its 100th jubilee

Kota Kinabalu: A colonial-era building here that had withstood air raids during the second World War celebrated its 100th year. The building, which now houses the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), had once accommodated the offices of the Treasury, Post Office and Attorney-General among others. Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the people must appreciate that this great white structure survived a war, endured developments around it and weathered the test of time. "When Sabah was under the colonial government, it was a printing office, treasury and bank. In fact, we fondly know this building as the Old Post Office," he said, adding the state government gazetted it as a historical building in 1988. Masidi said the tourism industry must continue thinking of creative ways to present itself to stand out among the rest. "Physically, we are not going to be here for the next 100 years but if we continue with this momentum, our industry will remain resilient, just like this building," he said. A large crowd that also included Masidi's Assistant Minister Pang Nyuk Ming, Mayor Yeo Boon Hai and STB chairman Joniston Bangkuai were treated to a carnival-like affair at the grounds of the building. There was a 100m-long cake, live band performance and the highlight was a 3D mapping on the building, which told the long history of one of Kota Kinabalu's most iconic structures. The building's construction began in 1916. It was designed and supervised by JW Norman, a colonial executive engineer. It was officially opened by the British North Borneo Chartered Company governor AC Pearson on March 16, 1918. After the war, the building remained the home for the post office before merging with the telegraphs department. The Postal department took over the building in 1968 and stayed on until 1986. About a year later, the state's tourism authority, known then as tourism and environmental authority ministry, moved in. The building is also under the care of the Sabah Museum and State Archives Department. In 1991, the Sabah Tourism Promotion Corporation (now STB) moved into the building. Source: Daily Express
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23Feb

24 gazetted heritage sites in Sabah – Masidi

KOTA KINABALU: The State Government has gazetted 24 places as heritage sites in the state. They include the old post office building which is now the Sabah Tourism Board office, Atkinson Clock Tower, Community Hall in the city, Padang Merdeka, Mat Salleh Monument in Tambunan and the Skull Hill archaeological site in Semporna, said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun. Speaking at the launch of the State Heritage Enactment Act at the Sabah Museum near here yesterday, Masidi said the benefits of having these places gazetted as heritage sites included financial assistance for their preservation. He said several other places would be gazetted as heritage sites, namely Sabah Turnbull Hall, the old RTM Building, Melalap Train Station and Kent Teachers College. “I hope that more buildings will be nominated,” he said, adding that the recognition did not mean that the heritage sites would be taken over by the government. “The ownership will not change …What we want is for the structures to be maintained and preserved. The Sabah government will help in terms of financing the preservation and restoration works, if any,” he said. He also said the owners were not obliged to agree to their buildings being turned into heritage sites. Masidi said the State Heritage Enactment 2017, passed by the Sabah State Legislative Assembly last year, was important to facilitate efforts to study, manage and gazette heritage sites in the state. He said the new enactment was better than the Cultural Heritage (Conservation) Enactment which was repealed, as it was more comprehensive and easy to understand. “With the new enactment, the efforts to register the state’s heritage will be done by the museum, however, it will not work out if there is no support from other agencies. “Hence, the assistance and cooperation of all parties, especially the district offices, is essential to ensure successful implementation of this enactment,” he said. Source: Borneo Post Online
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