Mat Sator Museum opens in Tambunan
TAMBUNAN: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan urged youths to learn the history of this district.
“The residents of this district need to give strong support to the creation of the Mat Sator Museum by the State Museum Department,” he said, adding that the museum could be filled with information for the young people on the history that had occurred there.
Two places, Tibabar and Kapayan Lama, were the fortresses of Mat Salleh and his follower Mat Sator, he said at the opening of the Mat Sator Museum and the launch of Exotica Craft here yesterday.
According to him, among the major tourist destinations in the district were historical sites, and some of the sites were the Mat Sator and Mat Salleh fortresses, and another fortress located at Kampung Sunsuron.
Pairin also urged the youths to use their creativity to write about well-known elderly people such as the bobolian who could help tell historical events that had occurred in ancient times, and among others, diseases that occurred in the area which had an impact on the future generations.
“Likewise, the history of our ancestors’ migration from Nunuk Ragang, who moved and opened settlements in other interior areas.
“Similarly, studies on the origins of names of villages, rivers, and hills in the district, which can benefit the people and the district in the future, in terms of tourism packages.”
Pairin, who is also Infrastructure Development Minister, said the people needed to be conscious of doing something that could attract more visitors to this district.
“I ask community leaders at the village level, including Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) to play a leading role in mobilizing the people under their care to make natural resources available in this area, such as bamboo as a tourist attraction.
“Bamboo is our region’s strength because it has many uses; like building houses, fences, tools and other artistic devices. This source can also reduce the population’s spending and I hope the people can plant more bamboo trees, “he said.
Pairin, who is also Keningau MP, said bamboos could also be used as a handicraft tool, traditional musical instruments and others.
Also present were deputy state secretary Datuk Joseph Guntavid, Sabah Museum Department director Sintiong Gelet, District Officer Thomas Logijin, District Chief OKK Philip Datuk Kitingan, heads of state and federal government departments and community leaders.