Sipitang
| Sipitang | |
|---|---|
 Sipitang
|
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| Coordinates: 5°05′0″N 115°33′0″E / 5.083333°N 115.55°E | |
| Country |  Malaysia |
| State |  Sabah |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 34,680 |
Sipitang is a town, district and also a parliamentary constituency located in Interior Division of Sabah, east Malaysia on the island of Borneo. The population of the district was 12,076 in 1980[1] and 24,349 in 1991. In 2000, the population is 29,256 while in 2010, 34,680.[2] It is the closest town in Sabah to the Sarawak border, and is 44 kilometers south of Beaufort and 144 kilometers south of Kota Kinabalu, the state capital. Sipitang is made of many villages and towns such as;
| Sipitang's village | Kampung Banting | Kampung Pengiran Omar | Kampung Merintaman | Kuala Mengalong | Bandar Sipitang |
|---|
Contents |
[edit] History
Sipitang was a territory of the Brunei sultanate before 1884. On November 5, 1884, the Brunei Sultan ceded his territory, from Sipitang to Kuala Penyu, to British North Borneo Company (BNBC).[3] It is alleged that this agreement was met after excessive bribery by the BNBC Governor, William Treacher to the Sultan's court.[4]
Sultan of Brunei granted his territory, from River Sipitang to River Trusan, to BNBC on September 7, 1901.[5] In relation to that, BNBC acquired the area of Mengalong and Merantaman (now in Sipitang district) on September 12, 1901, through a grant by Pangiran Tengah Damit ibni al-Marhum Pangiran Anak Bongsu,[6] of his tulin right on those areas.[7] The acquisition of these areas was done separately because lands such as these are owned individually by Pangirans (prices and nobles) through their tulin right and therefore are independent of the authority of the sultan.[8]
Up til 1900, Sipitang (River Sipitang) marked the frontier between British North Borneo and the Brunei sultanate. The acquisition of land from River Sipitang to River Trusan in 1901, led to the creation of a station in Sipitang under the administrative name Province Clarke (named after Sir Andrew Clarke). This station came into being mainly for the purpose of a search for further cession of territories. Nevertheless, complications in the following years led to the reselling of some lands, and the demarcation receded to the present day Sabah-Sarawak border, near Mengalong (now Sindumin).
[edit] Geography
The geography of Sipitang depends on the area;
| Kampung Banting | Kampung Merintaman | Kampung Pengiran Omar | Kuala Mengalong | Bandar Sipitang |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain forest and village | Forest and small village | Forest which is near the river bank and a village | Unknown | Town and forest |
[edit] Economy
The major economic activities in Sipitang district are timber related. A pulp and paper mill plant was constructed in 1987 and is operated by Sabah Forest Industries, currently a subsidiary of Indian company, Ballarpur Industries Limited. Generally, these activities does not directly benefit the locals. Most of the locals are involved in subsistence farming and fishing.
The town is set to become one of Sabah's oil and gas industry centre following the state government's decision to build an oil and gas industrial park in Sipitang [9] and the national oil company - Petronas's decision to build Sabah ammonia and urea plant in this town. [10]
[edit] Culture and Leisure
[edit] Culture
Sipitang town hosts the biennial GATA (Gasing and Tamu Besar) festival since 2003. This festival features cultural events such as traditional games, music and dance performances, mainly of the predominant indigenous group in Sipitang district, that is the Kedayan, Lundayeh, Murut and Brunei Malay.
[edit] Leisure and Conservation area
A 10 million project for the construction of an esplanade and a welcoming arch in Sipitang district was launched in 2007.[11]. The esplanade and arch was completed in 2011. [12]
The villages of Long Pasia and Long Mio and their surrounding conservation area are located in Sipitang district. The Long Pasia area is one of the popular tourist destination in Sabah, which places among others, the Maga waterfall and Kerangas park. [13]
[edit] Demographics
Ethnic composition of Sipitang district in 2010[14]
- KadazanDusun - 3988
- Bajau - 972
- Murut - 4825
- Malay - 5756
- Other Bumiputra - 13724
- Chinese - 1265
- Indian - 59
- Others - 1419
- Non-Malaysian Citizens - 3756
A more localized demographic is given in Sidik (2004), which states that Sipitang district's population is 60% Kedayan, 30% Murut and Lundayeh, 10% Brunei Malay, and the remaining Chinese.[15]
[edit] References
- ^ Town and Regional Planning Sabah, [online] http://www.townplanning.sabah.gov.my/Interior_Sipitang.htm, access date: 12 September 2008
- ^ Population and housing Census of Malaysia 2010 - Preliminary Count Report, [online] http://www.statistics.gov.my/portal/download_Population/files/BPD/Laporan_Kiraan_Permulaan2010.pdf, access date: 7 August 2011
- ^ (note: Si Putong [sic] to Kwala Paniow [sic]) British North Borneo Treaties. British North Borneo, 1884. (1999) State Attorney-General's Chambers. Sabah Laws. [Online] Available at:http://www.lawnet.sabah.gov.my/Lawnet/SabahLaws/Treaties/viewdoc.aspx?document=CessionBySultanOfBruneiPangeranBandharAndPangeranDiGadongOfTerritoryFromSiPutongToKwalaPaniow.pdf, Access date: 6 September 2008
- ^ Haller Trost, R., Schofield, C., Martin, P. The Brunei-Malaysia Dispute over Territorial and Maritime Claims in International Law (1994)IBRU (International Boundary Research Unit) [Online] Available at: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ZMJYOA6g_dYC&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Brunei-Malaysia+Dispute+Over+Territorial&sig=ACfU3U3YyWtEvAklcBgGiEXMpcFq20WHuA, pp. 12, Access date: 6 September 2008
- ^ (note , Sepitong [sic]) British North Borneo Treaties. British North Borneo, 1901. (1999) State Attorney-General's Chambers. Sabah Laws. [Online] http://www.lawnet.sabah.gov.my/viewdoc.asp?id=sabahlaws&title=Sabah_Laws&document=treaties/Treaties%20and%20Engagements%20(15).htm, Access date: 6 September 2008
- ^ (note: Pangeran Pengah Damit [sic]) http://www.royalark.net/Brunei/brunei7.htm
- ^ http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=3451210&CATLN=6&accessmethod=5
- ^ Haller Trost, R., Schofield, C., Martin, P. The Brunei-Malaysia Dispute over Territorial and Maritime Claims in International Law (1994)IBRU (International Boundary Research Unit) [Online] Available at: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ZMJYOA6g_dYC&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Brunei-Malaysia+Dispute+Over+Territorial&sig=ACfU3U3YyWtEvAklcBgGiEXMpcFq20WHuA, pp. 10-11, Access date: 6 September 2008
- ^ http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/04/01/oil-gas-industrial-park-in-sipitang
- ^ http://bursamynews.blogspot.com/2011/07/petronas-chemicals-up-on-sipitang-plant.html
- ^ http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=51842
- ^ http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/06/28/arch-greets-visitors-to-sipitang-gata
- ^ http://www.longpasia.org
- ^ http://www.statistics.gov.my/portal/download_Population/files/census2010/Taburan_Penduduk_dan_Ciri-ciri_Asas_Demografi.pdf
- ^ Sidik, Amde. (2004) Writing from the tip of Borneo. iUniverse. pp.81
