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HISTORY
| KEBUN CINA : AN EARLY CHINESE SUBURBAN
SETTLEMENT IN SANDAKAN |
| Based on information provided by Danny T.K. Wong |
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The fact that Sandakan was known as “Little Hong Kong” is a testimony to the strong Chinese presence in this town, which produced many Chinese businessmen and entrepreneurs. Historical Kebun Cina played an important role in contributing to the
development of Sandakan. |
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1883
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| “At the Karbon Cheena river village, where a good many of the Company's immigrants are, is a busy scene, men, women, and children all working with that industry peculiar to the Chinese race. Rows of pineapples, sugar-cane, and bananas are planted, kitchen garden plots are all over the place, and a plentiful supply of vegetables will soon be available, mangoes and other fruit trees are coming on nicely. All the larger timber scattered over the ground is being converted into planks instead of the usually adopted wasteful plan of burning. Carpenters are making boats, furniture, etc.; brick kilns are being built, fishing is carried on and industries of various kinds are being developed.”
North Borneo Herald , May 1883
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1888 |
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| One of the seven Chinese pioneers in Kebun Cina, a Hakka Chinese entrepreneur named Liau Nyuk Kui bought about 17 acres of land in Kebun Cina and emerged at that time as probably the richest Hakka in town. Liau started planting coconut and later rubber. He also ventured
into animal husbandry.
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1891 |
| The other pioneers, a group of 14 wealthy Hakka Christians arrived at Sandakan from Hong Kong. They purchased land at the Kebun Cina area, and started engaging others to work on their land. |
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1894
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| The establishment of the Hakka temple of
Tam Kung Tsu-Miao (Mile 1½ North Road), situated at Kebun Cina, as a socio-religious establishment by the Chinese population in Kebun Cina, mostly the labour of Liau Nyuk Kui and his fellow
Hakka leaders.
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1911
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| Another main contributor to development of Kebun Cina was a Hakka named Lam Man Ching, became
the president of the Yan Foh Hui Kwan (forerunner of the Sandakan Hakka Association). He was an
important figure for the Chinese in Kebun Cina.
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| 1912
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| The establishment of the Chi Hwa School which was initially started as a traditional Chinese school and placed in the premises of the Tam Kung Tsu-Miao Chinese Temple. Lam Man Ching served as the chairman of the
board of directors for the school at that time.
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Around 1920's
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The Hakka community in Kebun Cina continued to grow until it reached a saturated stage. By then, the community was firmly established and remained the main supplier of vegetables, poultry products and fruits
for Sandakan.
To the Chinese of Sandakan, the name “Kebun Cina” did not stick. Instead, the place was commonly known to the community as cow shed or ngiu liao, because cows were reared there . |
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For further reading:
Historical Sabah:The Chinese
by Danny T. K. Wong, 2005
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| BOTANICAL EXPLORATION OF
KEBUN CINA FOREST RESERVE |
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Around 1880
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| The forest was first explored botanically by Governor Creagh.
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1920
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| Maximo Ramos, a Filipino plant collector, was directed by the American botanist, E.D. Merrill from Manila to collect plants in North Borneo (Sabah). Ramos collected about 800 numbers
including 58 type specimens. Many of these were from Kebun Cina forest.
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1921 |
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A.D.E. Elmer, an American botanist, made a botanical collecting trip and collected almost 400 numbers including 21 type specimen. Some of these collections formed the first collection of the species for Sabah, and some for Borneo. |
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1922 & 1923
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| Ramos's collection was published by E.D. Merrill in the Journal of The Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (Singapore) in 1922 (Part 1)
and 1923 (Part 2).
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1929 |
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A total of about 17 type specimens for the novelties found in the area were published in Merrill's
Plantae Elmerianae Borneenses .
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Late 1950's |
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Don Nicholson, the ecologist at the Sabah Forestry Development, discovered that the area was botanically rich with various dipterocarps and other interesting species. |
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1961
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| A fire destroyed the Sandakan Herbarium and a lot of these collections from 1880 till
1921 were lost.
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1961 - 1968 |
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Dr. Willem Meijer, a Forest Botanist, established forest trails and collected dipterocarps and many non-dipterocarp specimens and numbered 453 trees in the area. Through this survey, he encountered 75 genera and about 150 species of trees in 47 families.
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1987 |
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Meijer informally came up with the Preliminary Checklist of the Flora (trees, shrubs and woody climbers). He documented 54 families of trees, shrubs and climbers in 148 genera and 220 species. |
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1995 |
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Meijer revised his earlier checklist and came up with a Preliminary Checklist of the Flora of Kebun Cina Forest, which was unfortunately not completed. In this checklist, Meijer estimated 300 species of trees, 50 species of fern and fern allies, about 9 species of pandans, 12 species of grass, and unverified numbers of gingers, Marantaceae and orchids. Numerous ant plants and Nepenthes species were also recorded.
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2007 |
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A guide to the flora of Kebun Cina Forest Reserve has been prepared by the
Forest Research Centre, Sandakan.
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| BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF
KEBUN CINA FOREST RESERVE
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| Kebun Cina Forest Reserve covers an area about 148.60 hectares and situated about 9 km from Sandakan town, sandwiched between the Sibuga and Labuk Roads.
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Early 1960's |
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A Chinese businessman, Mr Kwan of Man Woo Loong was the owner of the land. The company eventually sold all their rubber land holdings and the forest to the Municipal Administration of Sandakan. |
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1961
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| Dr. Willem Meijer, a Forest Botanist, proposed the area as Batu Lima Forest Reserve but his efforts only became a reality in the 90's when local authorities agreed to protect this area as a Nature Sanctuary. |
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July 1963 |
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Kebun Cina forest was given a new name, Kebun Cina Forest Park, through the effort of Dr Willem Meijer who had carried out some
vegetation studies in the area.
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July 1987
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| Developed under the Taman Sibuga Recreational Project under the administration of the Sandakan Municipal Council (SMC) and part of Kebun Cina forest was developed into the Sandakan Sports Complex
and the Sandakan Turf Club.
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Developed as Sandakan Forest Park to provide facilities for recreation, nature
education and conservation. The target was local and foreign tourists.
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September 1998 |
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The remaining undeveloped area (146.40 ha) was proposed to be handed over to Sabah Forestry Development to be gazetted as an Amenity Forest Reserve. |
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2002
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| The name Sandakan Rainforest Park was adopted and the plan to develop the
area under three phases was agreed.
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| August 2003
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The commencement of the first phase of the development in the northern boundary
began. The project was implemented by the Sandakan Municipal Council. |
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October 2004 |
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The first phase of the development of Sandakan Rainforest Park was completed. This phase included a car park, access road and drainage, jogging trails/bicycle track and an administration
building.
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Jan 2007 |
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Gazetted as Kebun Cina Amenity
Forest Reserve.
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The
information provided
above is based on
the poster(s)
displayed at Kebun
Cina Gallery. |
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Click the following link(s) to view
the poster(s).
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| This webpage is best viewed in 1024 x 768 resolution
Copyright © 2007 Sandakan Rainforest Park
The Sandakan Rainforest Park will not be responsible for any loss or damage as a result of the use of information obtained from this site. |
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