HERITAGE OF KOTA KINABALU

Description of link:

To let people more know about heritage of Kota Kinabalu. There are earliest of origins, Kota Kinabalu's Ride as Trade Center and World War II.


Objective of link:

This objective link is to more understand about heritage of Kota Kinabalu.


Flow Chart:


References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kota_Kinabalu

http://www.world66.com/asia/southeastasia/malaysia/kotakinabalu/history








Kota Kinabalu (pronounced [ˈkota kinaˈbalu], formerly Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea.


Earliest Origins
Kota Kinabalu’s earliest origins can be traced to the late 1800’s, when the British North Borneo Company started setting up colonies all over the North Borneo region that is now the State of Sabah. The original settlement in the area was on the Gaya Island, which was inhabited by the Bajau people. The Borneo Company termed their settlement Gaya Bay, and had to face the wrath and rebellion of the Bajau tribe, led by their leader Mat Salleh. After the uprising, the company made a decision to move base to the Api Api fishing village, in a location that was easier to defend than the earlier spot. The brand new settlement soon rose to the status of the prime harbor, port and terminus of the North Borneo Railway. The port was named Jesselton in honor of Sir Charles Jessel, the presiding Vice Chairman of the North Borneo Company.




Kota Kinabalu’s Rise as a Trade Center
Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu) was soon catapulted into the league of important commercial trading centers in southeast Asia. It traded in honey, rubber, rattan crafts and wax. The new railway network helped in strengthening the commerce of the region, by transporting goods to the main Jesselton Harbor. With a burgeoning trade identity, the officers had to contend with increasing piracy in the region, and there were also several revolts by the local Bajaus against the company during this period



World War II
Jessleton was completely destroyed by the British during the early stages of World War II, to thwart attempts by the Japanese to capture it. The Japanese forces still managed to lay their hands on the region and restored and re-named it Api again. There have been innumerable chronicled incidents about rebellion against the Japanese forces by locals. The most significant was by the Kinabalu Guerrillas in 1943 lead by Albert Kwok, a rising local leader. The revolt was suppressed by the well-armed Japanese soldiers, and Kwok was jailed and executed in 1944. The allied bombings of the Borneo Campaign destroyed the region completely, and only a couple of buildings still stood in the town. On September 10, 1945, the Japanese 37th Army, led by Lieutenant General Baba Masao, officially surrendered in Labuan and ended the conflict in North Borneo.
Kota Kinabalu has a history of intense colonization, conflicts and rebellions, owing to the fact that it was a very significant commercial trading center.


Prepared by : AMOGELANG EDITH NATHANIEL