The landscape around Penampang has changed. The changes will accelerate once the Pan-Borneo Highway is completed. The change can also come about due to a change in life styles of the people here.
Penampang has lost its rice fields. Rice farms extended from Penampang itself to as far away as Tombovo and Tua'ui (Terawi), Putatan. The small pocket of rice fields at Kodundungan in the vicinity of Donggongon Town may disappear sooner or later. The vast ride farms were once the pride of Penampang. Now, it is not very clear what product Penampang can produce that can benefit the people here, particularly Kadazans.
Most of the former rice fields are lying idle. Land situated along the highway had been purchased by the rich either for residential or commercial purpose.
Another new feature around Penampang are the ugly hills. In the past, these hills enhanced the beauty of the countryside. There are a lot of hill cutting here for years where the subsoil is sold to building contractors. The construction of the dual-carriageway is making the state of things worse. These contractors do not care one little bit about preserving the beauty of Penampang. After all, they are mainly concerned about making a lot of money.
Penampang that cannot be recognised
If a foreigner who had visited Penampang some fifty years ago happens to come here today, he will not recognise this place. He may think that he has come to another place unless he sees the signage. What are the physical features that can connect the present to the past? Could these be preserved?
Even a local who had not visited Penampang for a long time may be bewildered at the pace of development at Penampang. He will not be able to find the shops that he frequented. He may be amazed while wondering what all these developments will do to Penampang and its people.
Donggongon
Donggongon is undergoing rapid change. It has expanded which is a good thing. But Donggongon has become unsightly. There are canopies and stalls almost everywhere without anyone, including the authority, giving a thought to aesthetic consideration.
Even the area where the statue of the Late Peter Mojuntin had been relocated is being encroached upon by hawkers. Is monetary consideration the rule of the day? If the "Mojuntin Square" is improved, it can be a tourist attraction, helping to spin money for Donggongon businesses.
Penampang Products
At this point in time, the only product that the natives of Penampang can boast about are agricultural produce particularly the famed Babagon pineapples and vegetables from Togudon at Gunung Mas and Moyog, an area located at the foothills where the road to Tambunan starts to steepen. Vegetables are also grown at Kg. Potuki and Kg. Maang but these are not by locals. (Note: Potuki has ceased to be within the Penampang District.)
What else? I cannot think of any. I am lost!
Check this out - Penampang in the Future
Monday, June 27, 2016
Saturday, June 25, 2016
PENAMPANG THEN AND NOW
Penampang is a fertile plain washed by the Putatan River. It was a region opened by the descendants of the third son and child of Maragang, Tomui.(1) Sometimes, Maragang is stated as 'Kimaragang' where the 'ki' stands for 'aki' referring to a male ancestor.
Some of the earliest writings on North Borneo often refers to a part of this area as Putatan. Putatan hugs the coast. It was populated by the Kadazan people whom the British colonialists named 'Dusun' because that was what the Bruneis told them when they first came. Now the place is densely populated by several races most of whom are Muslims.
The Putatan River meanders upstream right up to the mountainous hinterland flowing as the Moyog River. It is at the upper part of the river that the Babagon Dam was constructed to provide water to most of the inhabitants of the west coast of Sabah, formerly North Borneo.
The region was named North Borneo because it is at the northenmost region of the island of Borneo, the third largest island in the world. The Moyog River is called the Putatan only when it nears Putatan.
The Penampang District borders Tambunan District to the east, Papar District to the South and the city of Kota Kinabalu to the west. The district covers the state constituencies of Moyog and Kepayan. These two constituencies make up the Parliamentary seat of Penampang. The newly-established District of Putatan had been carved out of Penampang District more than a year ago.
The main town of Penampang is Donggongon with Kepayan Ridge as a smaller one. There was a row of two blocks of shops at Kasigui. The shop owners were made to shift to Donggongon after the shops were razed to the ground several years ago. There is nothing to indicate there were shops at Kasigui. What remain are the food stalls. The oldest of this is still run by the grandchildren of a China man the people of Penampang called "Sapi" because he used beef for his noodle soup.
Decades ago, large tracts of land at Penampang were planted with wet rice. Now, only the Kodundungan area is planted with rice. Maybe, it is a matter of time before these are gone, too. You can still find buffaloes at Penampang but these have somehow become wild and had not been broken to pull ploughs and logs and to carry heavy things on their backs. Buffaloes are not needed since these things are done mechanically now. This is what is happening at Kodundungan. It is said that only about three hundred acres of rice fields remain.
Where rice fields were found in the past, you can only find concrete buildings now. The highway from Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu) passes through Penampang to Papar. More lands will be lost to development. Penampang is in danger of losing its characteristics. The loss of lands to business people may accelerate with the coming completion of the Pan-Borneo Highway.
It is hoped that with the increased traffic due to the Pan-Borneo Highway that joins Sabah with Sarawak, business opportunities will increase for the Kadazan people. What is definite for now is that rich Chinese will offer to buy Kadazan lands along the highway at a price Kadazan landowners may not be able to reject.
Whither Kadazans?
Read more about Penampang HERE
(1) According to P.S. Shim, Tomui was the ancestor of a number of Kadazandusun tribes. He did not mention whether or not Tomui migrated to the west of Sabah.
Updated on November 8, 2017
Some of the earliest writings on North Borneo often refers to a part of this area as Putatan. Putatan hugs the coast. It was populated by the Kadazan people whom the British colonialists named 'Dusun' because that was what the Bruneis told them when they first came. Now the place is densely populated by several races most of whom are Muslims.
The Putatan River meanders upstream right up to the mountainous hinterland flowing as the Moyog River. It is at the upper part of the river that the Babagon Dam was constructed to provide water to most of the inhabitants of the west coast of Sabah, formerly North Borneo.
The region was named North Borneo because it is at the northenmost region of the island of Borneo, the third largest island in the world. The Moyog River is called the Putatan only when it nears Putatan.
The Penampang District borders Tambunan District to the east, Papar District to the South and the city of Kota Kinabalu to the west. The district covers the state constituencies of Moyog and Kepayan. These two constituencies make up the Parliamentary seat of Penampang. The newly-established District of Putatan had been carved out of Penampang District more than a year ago.
The main town of Penampang is Donggongon with Kepayan Ridge as a smaller one. There was a row of two blocks of shops at Kasigui. The shop owners were made to shift to Donggongon after the shops were razed to the ground several years ago. There is nothing to indicate there were shops at Kasigui. What remain are the food stalls. The oldest of this is still run by the grandchildren of a China man the people of Penampang called "Sapi" because he used beef for his noodle soup.
Decades ago, large tracts of land at Penampang were planted with wet rice. Now, only the Kodundungan area is planted with rice. Maybe, it is a matter of time before these are gone, too. You can still find buffaloes at Penampang but these have somehow become wild and had not been broken to pull ploughs and logs and to carry heavy things on their backs. Buffaloes are not needed since these things are done mechanically now. This is what is happening at Kodundungan. It is said that only about three hundred acres of rice fields remain.
Where rice fields were found in the past, you can only find concrete buildings now. The highway from Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu) passes through Penampang to Papar. More lands will be lost to development. Penampang is in danger of losing its characteristics. The loss of lands to business people may accelerate with the coming completion of the Pan-Borneo Highway.
It is hoped that with the increased traffic due to the Pan-Borneo Highway that joins Sabah with Sarawak, business opportunities will increase for the Kadazan people. What is definite for now is that rich Chinese will offer to buy Kadazan lands along the highway at a price Kadazan landowners may not be able to reject.
Whither Kadazans?
Read more about Penampang HERE
(1) According to P.S. Shim, Tomui was the ancestor of a number of Kadazandusun tribes. He did not mention whether or not Tomui migrated to the west of Sabah.
Updated on November 8, 2017
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