At the cluster of three islands off northern Sabah, Zulkifly Ab.Latif learns about the Bajau Ubian’s way of life
SABAH, the second largest state in the country is often referred to as The Land Below the Wind. It’s been said that the term originates from the state’s favourable geographic location, which throughout history has seen it spared from the brunt of many storms and typhoons that have occurred in the region just above Sabah.
The term seems particularly apt as I look out from my Promenade Hotel room window at the wide South China Sea, its calm waters sparkling and glimmering under the morning sun and the clear skies above it tinted a marvelous hue of deep blue. It is the second day of my stay here in Promenade Hotel, a four- star establishment located in the vibrant and bustling capital city of Kota Kinabalu. Although the coastal city has many interesting sights and attractions to be explored, I bid Kota Kinabalu farewell for the next part of my adventure to the island of Mantanani, with the view from my hotel room window serving only to fire my imagination of a tropical island paradise.
DAY TRIPS OR MULTI-DAY ESCAPES
My journey to Mantanani Island begins at a private jetty near Kuala Rampaian, located within the district of KotaBelud on the west coast of Sabah. The drive to Kota Belud from Kota Kinabalu takes about an hour and a half, and the boat ride to Mantanani island is an hour on calm seas.
The boat I am in is packed with visitors, mostly foreign tourists ona quick day trip to the island. Talking to the boatman I find out that Mantanani island is now fast becoming a popular snorkeling destination, with many tour operators from Kota Kinabalu offering guided day trips.
I can hear the boat’s hull scrape the sands of the beach as it comes to a halt before the tour guide announces to the group we have arrived at Mantanani.
The destination of Mantanani is actually a cluster of three islands nestled in the sea off the northern tip of Sabah, consisting of Mantanani Besar, Mantanani Kecil and Lingisan.
I am on Mantanani Besar, the only inhabited island of the cluster of three. Although the island has various private resorts for accommodation, I will be spending the next two nights here living with a local family in Kampung Padang Besar, the biggest village on Mantanani.
ISLAND HOMESTAY
Hauling my heavy backpack under the blazing midday sun, I find the village of Kampung Padang Besar a confusing maze of village houses closely built to each other. With over 200 houses, the villagers are mostly of Bajau Ubian descent, the largest ethnic group on the island.
Supplied with only the name Muslinah Homestay when making my accommodation arrangements, I am somewhat clueless as to how to find my host family’s home amongst the many colourful and rustic village houses. Itis fortunate then that I meet Mohd Monib, a villager and coordinator for Mantanani Island Homestay who eagerly shows me the way.
Walking towards Muslinah Homestay, I talk with Monib and find out more about the island’s homestay efforts. Realising the island’s tourism potential, a large group of Mantanani villagers have banded together with the hopes that their ethnic culture, way of life and the natural beauty of Mantanani may prove to be an interesting holiday experience.
Although a large part of the village’s population still subsists on fishing, villagers like Monib have embraced an entrepreneurship spirit by welcoming tourists into their homes.
Reaching Muslinah Homestay, I immediately get acquainted with the host family.
Names are exchanged and handshakes are given before I am shown to a modestly furnished room inside the house.
The slightly timid demeanour of the host family members makes me suspect that perhaps they are newcomers to the homestay business, and it is a stark contrast to the polished almost scripted warm welcomes I’ve received at hotels and resorts.
I am reminded of Mantanani’s remote island status when I instinctively flip the switch of the room’s table fan and find out that there is no electricity. Apparently on Mantanani Besar, electricity is provided by power generators which are only switched on from 6pm to 6am. With nothing much to do in the hot and humid room, and the sun still too fierce for outdoor exploring, I make my way down to a small stall next to the house, which is also run by the host family. Thanks to a couple oficed tea drinks and some casual conversation, I learn more about my host family as the ice begins to break, so to speak.
CINTAI MANTANANI
Having reached out to Reef Check Malaysia, a non-profit organisation working to protect, restore and revive coral reefs around the country while making plans to visit Mantanani Island,I then meet Nadhirah Rifai, one of the organisation’s Assistant Programme Manager.
As part of its ongoing work, Reef Check Malaysia has established Cintai Mantanani or Love Mantanani, a programme that aims to ensure the economic well-being of the island’s inhabitants while protecting its environment and biodiversity.
Nadhirah tells me that I’ve picked an opportune time to visit Mantanani, since Cintai Mantanani is hosting a group of volunteers from Kumpulan Wang Persaraan Diperbadankan (Retirement Fund (Incorporated), Malaysia’s largest public services pension fund.
Organised under its corporate social responsibility initiative, volunteers from KWAP have spent the last two days participating in beach cleanups and repairing and painting public facilities on the island such as the community learning centre. The work was not just done on land, since there was even an underwater coral restoration dive the day before I arrived.
PRESERVING PARADISE
Mantanani Island is indeed a beautiful tropical island, and paints a rustic scene of crystal clear waters, powdery white sand
and sun bleached wooden jetties. Even so, visitors to Mantanani island and especially to the village of Kampung Padang Besar will immediately notice the amount of trash on the beach, most of which is said to have been brought ashore by ocean waves and currents from other places.
Without a reliable method to properly dispose of the trash, the problem is also compounded by the waste produced by the island’s inhabitants and tourists. In addressing the issue, Cintai Mantanani have implemented various programmes such as gathering plastic bottles and recycling them.
Talking to one ofthe employees of Cintai Mantanani, I learn about a waste management trial programme that it has introduced in Kampung Siring Bukit, a small village located on the North coast of Mantanani Besar.
I decide to tag along for the daily rounds tto the village houses, not only to see how the locals are encouraged and educated to separate household wastes but also to explore the village.
Kampung Siring Bukit is quite different from Kampung Padang Besar, being a much smaller village and the houses are spaced quite far apart. Swaying palm trees and wide open beaches makes Siring Bukit a much more tranquil and serene setting, although it is quite a walking distance away from the main village.
SUPERB VISIBILITY UNDER THE SEA
It wouldn’t be much of a visit to Mantanani if I didn’tjump into the crystal clear waters, and so I quickly agree when Nadhirah invites me to tag along for scuba diving at one of the spots Reef Check Malaysia is doing coral reef rehabilitation. Located near to the smaller island of Mantanani Kecil, the boat ride to the dive spot is a mere 15 minutes, and is also said to be a popular spot for leisure scuba divers.
Descending to a depth of 12m, Nadhirah leads me straight to a cluster of cement slabs, with various sizes of coral fragments imbedded in them. Apparently this is the cluster of corals planted by the diver volunteers of KWAP two days previously, with the hope that the coral will grow and form into part of a healthy reef.
Having done inspection on the reef rehabilitation sites and with plenty of air still in our scuba tanks, Nadhirah leads me for a leisurely tour of the nearby fringing reef, its coral a plethora of vibrant and striking colours.
I spot a green sea turtle resting on a reef which surprisingly only swims away when we practically could almost touch it.
A stark reminder of Reef Check Malaysia’s purpose on the island comes when we swim past a large patch of dead coral, the fragments looking as if it had been smashed or crushed. Nadhirah purses all the fingers of her right hand together before quickly spreading them, hand signalling to me that this is the result of a fishbomb, a destructive and irresponsible method of fishing.
THINGS NEED TO CHANGE TO STAY THE SAME
I am at one of the wooden jetties near Kampung Padang Besar, looking at the village children hand-jigging for squid.
It has been a wonderful three days of exploring the island of Mantanani, learning about the Bajau Ubian’s way of life and the ongoing environmental and community work by groups such as Cintai Mantanani.
The day is slowly winding down, but is still far too early for the electricity to be turnedon. I see a villager and his baby lying under a small wooden hut enjoying the cool sea breeze besides the beach, which now looks far more cleaner after the beach cleanup done a few days before.
Taking in the sights while hoping the island continues to stay the same, I suddenly spot the villager throw his baby’s used diaper into the water. Indeed, the island of Mantanani needs preserving but at the same time some things are in need of change.
Pictures by Zulkifly Ab.Latif
FAST FACTS
To learn more about Reef Check Malaysia and its Cintai Mantanani programme or other conservation work, go to www.reefcheck.org.my. For homestay accommodation details, visit Mantanani Island Homestay Facebook page.