Semporna

Semporna
Country	Malaysia
State	Sabah
Population  (2006)
• Total	133,000

Location of Semporna town and district

Semporna is a town located in Tawau Division, in the east coast of Sabah, Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Its population was estimated to be around 133,000 in 2006.

History

Semporna was founded soon after the British North Borneo Company established Sandakan, and initially settled by Chinese traders. The name Semporna means place of rest and was given after the British quelled resistance from the local Bajaus in the mid-1880s, changing it from Tong Talun. Another story is that Semporna was called place to settle or meeting place by four admirals – Panglima Kabogan, Panglima Bum-Bum, Panglima Simunul and Panglima Abdullah.

Details

The majority of the population is Bajau, many of whom live in sprawling stilt villages over the water on the outskirts of town. Semporna is located at the tip of Semporna Peninsula around Lahad Datu Bay (also known as Darvel Bay), and is visited by tourists as a base for scuba diving or snorkeling trips to Pulau Sipadan (Sipadan Island), some 36 kilometers southeast of town.

Marine products are still the mainstay of the local economy. Pearl culturing is a major component of this industry.

Activities

Semporna is also known for the Regatta Lepa traditional boat races which occur annually in April. Semporna was also the location of the finish line of Eco-Challenge: Borneo, held in 2000. Off the coast is a marine park called Tun Sakaran Marine Park also known as Semporna Islands Park. It was gazetted by Sabah Parks in 2004.

Languages

Semporna is unique in that it boasts of the only Zamboangueño Chavacano-speaking community in Malaysia, a Spanish-based creole whose speakers can mainly be found only in the Zamboanga area on the neighbouring Philippine island of Mindanao. Along with Filipino, another Philippine language, it enjoys the status of official language here, along with Malay.