My 17 - First Visit to Manukan Island

No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent.
- John Donne (1572-1631); an English Jacobean poet and preacher.

Manukan Island
Tunku Abdul Rahman Park
Kota Kinabalu

There's a lot of interesting place in Kota Kinabalu that you can visit. Guys - if you love beach, water and sun plus fishes - yes a lot of fishes; do make a day-visit to Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. This the only National Water Park near to the city - is really near to Kota Kinabalu citycentre. It's just a boat-ride to the Park.

You can choose either the legal one from Jesselton Point (which a bit cost as you need to pay the tax for departure from the port) or if you know any local, you can take it from the market itself. The later option is not guaranty as a lot of non-locals use it for the Pulau Gaya - Citycentre route.

My first visit was nothing much as we didn't planned it properly. But, I did enjoy the scene and the surrounding. The crystal-clear water where you can actually feed and play with the small-beautiful fishes. What a heaven!

I guess I did change a lot from the first time I'm in Sabah till my departure day. Hehehe

My 16 - Likas

A beautiful sunset that was mistaken for a dawn.
- Achille-Claude Debussy (1862-1918); French composer.

Masjid Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu
Likas

Likas is a second 'training-ground' for us - medical officer-going-to-be; beside in Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu. Here, we're posted for O&G and Peadiatric as the hospital caters referral for both fields.

One of the landmark in Likas is the 'floating-mosque' or officially known as Masjid Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu. The location just beside the beach make the mosque unique compared to others. I remember my first EidualAdha prayer in Sabah was in this mosque. Apparently I didn't make it asI thought they started as in Peninsular. Guess what? When I arrived there, everybody were rushing back as they've finished the prayer. Well - in Sabah, the sunrise 'early' as the time was already standardised during Mahathir's time. Ever wonder why 6.00 AM in Sabah is bright compared to KL?

Half-moon over the mosque's minaret

My 15 - Cowboys of the East

"You can tell a true cowboy by the type of horse he rides."
- Cowboy Proverb

District Mosque
Kota Belud, Sabah

In Sabah, locals do have what they called as 'Tamu', a gathering of locals especially farmers, fishermans and artists to sell their product among each other and to the outsiders. It's a way for them to gain income. Tamu basically like an open market but it's more vibrant and fascinating compared to night-market in Peninsular.

Each town had their own specialities like Kudat fame for their coconut product, Kota Marudu for their corns and etc. One of the biggest tamu is and always be in Kota Belud, situated about 70km from Kota Kinabalu. The town location is the middle point between Kota Kinabalu to towns in the nothern site (namely Kota Marudu, Kudat and Pitas).

Wan Rusydi infront one of the stall in 'Tamu'

Kota Belud is famous for their anual event - 'Tamu Besar' or big market as what they called. Usually it takes place in October each year. Tamu Besar is not a usual open market. Here you can find swords with good craftmenship, 'gong' (I even been told by my friend that each village has their own gong trademark), and others. You can even bargain for live animals like cow, goat and buffalo. This is the only town in Sabah you can find animals like goat, cow, buffalo, horse and chicken on the road - roaming freely and sometime dangerous to the road-user.

From left : Some Bajaus riding horses during the cultural show; even small children won't miss a chance to ride horse during this time.

In this event also you guys can enjoy the traditional show on what the town famous for - Cowboys of the East. Majority people here are among Bajau that renown for their great skills with horses. Even small children age 3 - 5 years are able to ride horse. So guys - mark your calendar in October each year when you want to join this great event.

Cool Cowboy

My 14 - Tip of Borneo

"When I admire the wonder of a sunset or beauty of the moon, my soul expands in worship of the Creator."
- Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948); Indian Philosopher and Independence fighter.

Tanjung Simpang Mengayau
Kudat, Sabah

I admit that I didn't had a chance to travel around Sabah for the 3 months when I first started my housemanship. Lack of fund (my first pay-roll was 3 months after start working!), not enough time and did not possessed own transport were my excuse.

From left : locals come here usually for fishing; friends from HQE.

From left : sunset from Tanjung Simpang Mengayau; it seems Raja and Dilla trying to get best angle for the sunset photo.

The first place that I've visited in Sabah was Kudat. Situated at the north of Sabah, Kudat was previously a capital for British North Borneo. Founded by A H Everett on December 7, 1881 the capital was later moved to Sandakan in view of multiple attacks by Bajau, Sulu and Iranun pirates.

Bronze glob that located in Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, marks the location at latitude 7N and longitude 116E. A map featuring the island of Borneo is embossed in bronze and laid on a flat surface at an angle with inscriptions to mark the Tip of Borneo.

Kudat is 178km or more than 2 and half hours from Kota Kinabalu. It is famous for Tanjung Simpang Mengayau - the northernmost tip of Borneo; Kudat Marina & Golf Resort - the oldest golf club in Borneo and Rungus traditional longhouse.

Pictures above showed beautiful rock formations with erosion of wind and wave towards the land of Tanjung Simpang Mengayau.

Guess Who?

My 13 - Land Below The Winds

Today marks 30 months from the 1st day I started my work as a medical officer.It's one of the most challenging work in the world - if you ask me, considering you at most of your time dealing with people who asked your experts with their problem. It's not just medical / health problem, but it involved problems as the whole human itself which includes family, financial, religious, etc.

I'm a UKM MD graduated in 2006, finished my housemanship training in Queen Elizabeth Hospital + Maternity and Child Likas Hospital. It's a tough year but I always remind myself that my work is noble. All the obstacles that I managed get trough made me a holistic-approach doctor.
Since in 6 weeks time I'll coming back to Kota Kinabalu to conquer Mt Kinabalu - the 5th highest point in SEA at the height of 4,095 mt. I really regret that I haven't climbed Mt Kinabalu while staying there but I more than happy to be back in Kota Kinabalu.

So - guys, I'll share some of my experince in the Land Below The Wind from today till the mid of March.

Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu
Commissioned on 14th September 1957
By Countess of Perth and then Minisyer of Colonial Land Affairs - the Earl of Perth

In front is the old block consisted of old maternity and child ward on the ground floor (which replaced by neurosurgery and orthopaedic ward once it's shifted to Likas Hospital) and general medical ward on the 2nd and 3rd floor. The new block (at the back) built in 1981 with the cost of RM 20 million. It consisted of General Surgical, Operational Theatre, Orthopaedic, First Class and VIP ward, other major surgical division. However, the tower block (what we used to call) has declared not safe by JKR and IKRAM in 2008 as a sequence of multiple cracks and ceiling falls down. Guess, it will become part of Malaysian Health history as the hospital at risk of falling down.