More About Sandakan

The original post was about Sandakan, one of the two biggest cities in Sabah, Malaysia today.

Like the other war memorial tourist destination, the situs of the Bataan Death March, the place is also another site where the Death March of Sandakan is commemorated. Japanese warriors forced thousands and thousands of Javanese and Prisoners of War from the Allied Forces captured during the Second World War into forced labor in Sandakan and many of them died.

Before the population became conscious of the ecology, Sandakan was one of the Asian Region and the world's biggest source of illegally cut logs. Now a lot of restrictions are in place; although there are still isolated cases of unauthorized logging, it is not as much as before.

From Sandakan, or through it, comes the Jasmine rice that many Mindanao people eat on their tables. My dad used to say, if we were in Mindanao, why would we be buying rice from Manila? It is always cheaper to buy from Sandakan.

Today, of course, the Vietnamese, other countries boast about bringing imported rice to the tables of Mindanao folk. At a cheaper price. But Jasmine rice coming from the boats offloading goods from Sandakan is still the best rice of all!

The City of Sandakan is like many Oriental cities and places of interest, very mysterious. It is host to Sipadan, the place where some criminal elements or pirates, as it where, kidnapped tourists and handed them over to the Abu Sayyaf. Supposedly, it was a planned operation on the part of the Abu Sayyaf.

The hand-over by foreign and local criminals to their group after the snatching however somewhat belies that story.

Today, one of the terrorists that guarded the hostages kidnapped from Malaysia and brought to Sulu, believed to be Al Bader Parad (we really don't know if the tale is true or not), is the same one who is holding the International Red Committee on the Red Cross hostages in custody. But the snatching, again, was done by a different group. Former government employee, Raden Abu, a Jail Guard in Sulu Provincial Jail, led the kidnapping and did it inside the premises of the government's Provincial Capitol Compound itself. Other supposedly active government people were also trailing behind the hostage takers prior to and during the act

The hostages, Italian Eugene Vagni, Swiss national Andreas Notter and Filipino Mary Jane Lacaba, were immediately turned over to Al Bader Parad by Raden's group, that calls itself the "KILOS".

What is this KILOS? We simply won't know. But the people in Sulu, Zamboanga, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Cotabato, Marawi City, Lanao, now know a lot about what really transpired.

On the other hand, while the hostages are being supposedly dragged here and there by the Parad-KILOS Gang, the AFP is slowly disappearing from the scene. It is only the Police that are now doggedly pursuing the kidnappers and trying to rescue the hostages.

Whatever is the matter in that place, we sure hope it won't end up in the killing of the ICRC hostages and the other hostages that have recently been taken by the pirates, Abu Sayyaf, criminals, and the lot.

Sandakan: Mindanao's point of view

Some time ago in the past, Sandakan was part of the Philippines, so my grandfathers say. They used to visit the place. From as far as Luzon or Visayas, or even just Agusan, that lies on the other side of the large Mindanao island, Sandakan was already a favorite destination way back then. My father went to Sandakan, Kota and so many other places in Borneo (it's old popular name in the past) when he was still alive. He enjoyed telling us stories of his trips to the place. But very little about the business he conducted there. I wonder why not?

Never mind that. He and my uncles used to tell tales and legends about the late, old Jamalul Kiram, said to be heir Sultan of the entire North Borneo kingdom. Of course, in history, there are so many claimants that one misses count of how many have come up as of the last survey.

But his stories about Jamalul were never dull. Always too colorful! And he described each scene and sequence in vivid detail you can't afford but get mesmerized at the tall tales!

What a wonderful thing it would be if many Filipinos could wander off into Sandakan like my dad and uncles did during his time on this planet. Dad and Uncle Babes, would regale us with how the old Sultan would recount his days as a young warrior. (The Tausugs of Sulu are born warriors. They never run away from any battle, dad and the uncles used to say.)

The language was quite different and my folks would explain the meanings of Tausug, Butu, Siki, Hadji Butu, Datu Siki, Moro, Muslim and while doing so, narrating about Nur Misuari the coffee maker of Jamalul's council later commander of Tausug-Samal as well as a motley of other Muslim tribes' warriors, the Arabs in Mindanao and Malaysia, the battles between the Christians and Muslims, the peacefulness of Maimbung town of Sulu province during those days, the feverish interest of the British in creating a mole inside the Malaysian government's inner circle, and so many other interesting plots!

Sandakan, like Kota Kinabalu, also in Sabah, up to this time remains as one of the most beautiful destinations in the world. It's population is much too caring to the environment. Many parts of Sandakan is lush vegetation. This can be attributed to the planting of the residents there of long life trees. Big trees like sequoias in the west that can outlive centuries.