Gaya Island

A map of the west coast of Kota Kinabalu city and Gaya Island.

Gaya Island (Pulau Gaya) is a sizeable Malaysian island of 1,465 ha, just 10 minutes off Kota Kinabalu, Sabah and forms part of the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park. Pulau Gaya derived its name from the Bajau word "Gayo" which means big and occupies an area of 15 km² (3,700 acres) with an elevation of up to 300 metres. Several ridges rise more than 600 feet (180 m), peaking at 1,000 feet (300 m), along the backbone of Pulau Gaya.

Pulau Gaya is the largest island in the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park, closest to downtown Kota Kinabalu (KK) and is covered with dense virgin, tropical forest. It has been a forest reserve since 1923. The island has 20 km of hiking trails and two 5 star resorts named Gayana Eco Resort, home to the Marine Ecology Research Centre, and Bunga Raya Island Resort on the north-east part of the island. Historically, Pulau Gaya was also the site of the English colonialist's British North Borneo Company's harbour, razed by the folk hero Mat Salleh on 9 July 1897.

History

Before the Ice Age, it formed part of the Crocker Range mass of sandstone and sedimentary rock on the mainland. However, about one million years ago, the melting ice brought about changes in the sea level and parts of the mainland were cut off by the sea to form the islands of Gaya Island, Sapi Island, Manukan Island, Mamutik Island and Sulug Island. Evidence of this can be seen from the exposed sandstone of the coastline forming the cliffs, caves, honeycombs and deep crevices.

In 1882, the British North Borneo Company set up a trading settlement on Pulau Gaya. After destruction in 1898 the settlement was moved to the mainland in 1899 and named as Jesselton in honour of Sir Charles Jessel, a manager of the Chartered Company. Later it was renamed to its current name, Kota Kinabalu.

In 1974, the major part of Pulau Gaya and Pulau Sapi was gazetted as Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park, covering an area of 8,990 acres (36.4 km²). In 1979, the park was increased to 12,185 acres (49.31 km²) with the inclusion of the three nearby islands of Pulau Manukan, Pulau Mamutik and Pulau Sulug. The park is spread over 4,929 hectares, two thirds of which cover the sea.

Illegal settlement

Kampung Pondo, with a huge colony of illegal immigrants house in Gaya Island.

Starting from 1970s, Filipino-Moro refugees comprising Tausūg and Bajau peoples began to inhabited the island in their bid to escape from the war in the southern Philippines. Both the Malaysian federal government and the Sabah state government do not officially recognise the settlement and the inhabitants as they are known as illegal immigrants. The eastern shore of Pulau Gaya supports a well-known illegal Filipino colony, called Kampung Lok Urai, with stilt houses girdling the beach as far as the eye can see. It has a 6,000 floating population of largely Filipinos who provide Kota Kinabalu with a source of cheap labour. It is considered a dangerous, high crime or "no-go" area by the police and KK-ians locals. The stilt houses are linked by walkways of weathered planks. As the population grew, new houses spread seaward, with no regard for sanitation. Three fires in 1994, 1998 and in 2014 have wiped out nearly half of Kampung Pondo.^[1] After the fire in 2014, the Sabah state government have proposed to move the illegal immigrants in the island to Kinarut with a better facility of modern houses, this has been opposed with an outcry from the Sabahan citizens, including some who want the current Chief Minister to resign over his mishandling power.^[2]

Administration

Sabah Parks, the body charged with protecting the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, is headquartered on the south-eastern part of Pulau Gaya in a bay shared with the Downbelow Marine & Wildlife Adventures dive station. A development on the edge of Gaya island nearest to Sapi island is also used by Sabah Parks and offers a small, quiet beach for public recreational use.

Tourism

Pulau Gaya is well known for a legendary beach at Police Bay. The 400 metres (0.25 mile) stretch of white sand, gently slopes out to the sea and makes Police Beach ideal for swimming in the crystal clear water. Police Beach fronts the upmarket Bunga Raya Island Resort. The coral reefs along the entire coast of Gaya island are in excellent condition, making it a surprisingly good diving destination, considering its proximity to Kota Kinabalu city.

Transportation

Jetty used to go to Gaya Island Filipino village.

Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal in downtown Kota Kinabalu is the ferry terminal for those heading to the islands in Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park (Gaya Island, Sapi Island, Manukan Island, Mamutik Island and Sulug Island). This ferry terminal is also the departure point for patrons staying at either Manukan Island Resort or Gayana Resort. While the speedboat owners on the island are kept busy, ferrying Filipinos schoolchildren, housewives and traders who sell craftwork at the Filipino market in the Kota Kinabalu Waterfront.

References

↑ Stephanie Lee (3 July 2014). "Kebakaran Di Pulau Gaya: Letupan Kedengaran, Belasan Rumah Musnah" (in Malay). mStar. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
↑ Sean Agustin (6 July 2014). "Facebook campaign to remove Sabah CM over illegal immigrant issue". The Rakyat Post. Retrieved 7 July 2014.

News

The Star:"A Home Away From Home For Many Filipinos"; 5 August 2006

Kota Kinabalu metropolitan area

Districts	Papar Penampang Kota Kinabalu Tuaran

Neighbourhoods and sub-districts	Api-Api Asia City Bukit Padang Bundusan Central Business District Damai Donggongon Gaya Island Inanam Karamunsing Kepayan Kingfisher Park Kolombong Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park Lido Likas Lintas Lok Kawi Luyang Marina Bay Manggatal Nosoob New Penampang Petagas Putatan Segama Sembulan Sepanggar Sinsuran Sutera Harbour Tanjung Aru Tanjung Lipat Telipok Towering Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park

Towns	Papar Kinarut Kota Belud Tuaran Tamparuli

Islands of Sabah

Adal Ampak-Ampak Bai Baik Bait Bakau-Bakau Bakubang Bakungan Bakungan Kecil Balak Balambangan Balangkasan Balundangan Kecil Balungang Besar Balusuan Bangan-Bangan Banggi Bankawan Bangkuruan Batawan Batik Batik Kulambu Batu Laya-Laya Berhala Bilangan Billean Bingkulan Bisa Bodgaya Bohayan Boheydulang Bonting Bum Bum Bush Buwaning Daisy Danawan Daunan Delconte Dewa Dinawan Di Tg. Batai Di Tg. Pendaras Engot Evans Gaya Gatahan Guhuan Utara Gulisan Gusong Gusungan Hutan Rimba Jambongan Kabili Kahamkamman Kalampunian Kalampunian Besar Kalampunian Damit Kalangaan Kalapuan Kalumpang Kalungan Kalung Kalungan Kanawi Kaniogan Kapalai Kawan Kelautan Keramuk Keremat Kukuban Laila Lakatan Landayang Lankayan Langaan Lambidan Larapan Latoan Leonan Libaran Ligitan Lihak-Lihak Lihiman Limau Limauan Linkabo Lingisan Lungisan Lubukan Mabahok Mabul Maganting Maiga Majinkil Malawali Maliangin Besar Maliangin Kecil Malundangan Mamutik Mandag-Mandag Mandidarah Mangkalai Darat Mangkalai Laut Mantabuan Mantanani Manukan Mataking Mataking Kecil Mata Pahi Mati Menampilek Mengalum Merigi Modom Montokud Musa Nunuyan Darat Nunuyan Laut Nusa Kuya Nusa Tengah Omadal Pababag Pagassan Pakil Palak Pandan-Pandan Pandanan Pandawan Panimbawan Panukaran Papahan Pasir Patanunam Peduk Penampangan Plompong Pom Pom Puno Puno Puru Puru Sabangkat Saddle Saga Sakar Salakan Sand Sandy Sangai Sapi Sarangga Sebangkat Sebatik Sedam Selangan Selingan Sepanggar Si Amil Sibuon Sikarindingan Silawa Silogong Silumpat Silungun Simandalan Simial Sinamgil Sinjataan Sipadan Sipanggau Sipindung Sisipan Straggler Sulug Sulok Sungor Tabawan Tabilian Tabun Tagabua Tagujawan Tambisan Tambulian Tango Tanjung Tanjung Tiga Papan Tatagan-Tatagan Tegipil Tetagan Torongohok Terumbu Eberett Tetabuan Tibakan Tiga Tigabu Tigowis Tikus Timba Timba Timbang Timbun Mata Timur Tiong Kecil Tree Rock Udar Kecil Udar Besar Usukan

Source: List of islands in Sabah (Page 53/61)

Coordinates: 6°01′05″N 116°02′07″E / 6.01806°N 116.03528°E / 6.01806; 116.03528

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