Pulau Gaya
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pulau Gaya is a sizeable Malaysian island of 1,465 ha, just 10 minutes off Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The island is protected as part of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, and the surface is undeveloped, although the eastern shore supports a well-known illegal Filipino colony with stilt houses girdling the beach as far as the eye can see. The federal and the state governments do not officially recognize them. The island has 6,000 floating population of largely Suluks and Bajaus who provide Kota Kinabalu with cheap labour.
Pulau Gaya has earned the unfortunate reputation of being something of a criminal and pirates’ haven.
The houses are linked by walkways of weathered planks. As the population grew, new houses spread seaward, with no regard for sanitation. Twice, fires wiped out nearly half of Kampung Pondo in 1994 and 1998.
The speedboat owners are kept busy, ferrying schoolchildren, then housewives, then traders who sell craftwork at the Filipino market in town.
Historically, Pulau Gaya was also the site of the British North Borneo Company's harbour, razed by the rebel Mat Salleh in 1897.
[edit] References
- The Star:"A Home Away From Home For Many Filipinos"; Aug 05, 2006
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| Divisions | Interior Division • Kudat Division • Sandakan Division • Tawau Division • West Coast Division |
| Cities | Kota Kinabalu (capital) |
| Towns | Beaufort • Beluran • Bingkor • Bongawan • Inanam • Kalabakan • Keningau • Kimanis • Kinabatangan • Kinarut • Kuala Penyu • Kota Belud • Kota Marudu • Kudat • Kunak • Kundasang • Lahad Datu • Membakut • Menggatal • Nabawan • Papar • Donggongon • Pensiangan • Pitas • Putatan • Ranau • Sandakan • Sapulut • Semporna • Sepanggar • Sindumin • Sipitang • Tambunan • Tamparuli • Tawau • Telipok • Telupid • Tenom • Tuaran • Weston |
| Islands | Balambangan Island • Banggi Island • Gaya Island • Jambongan Island • Kapalai Island • Lankayan Island • Layang Layang Island • Libaran Island • Ligitan Island • Mabul Island • Malawali Island • Sebatik Island • Selingan Island • Sipadan Island • Tabawan Island • Tiga Island• Timbun Mata Island |
