Unity among Sabahans a pull factor

Many love Sabah for its nature and natural beauty. A view of Mount Kinabalu from Kundasang. — Filepic

THE affectionate, gentle and generous nature of Sabahans is one of the main reasons Malaysians from other states are drawn to set up home there.

So, it comes as no surprise that some end up falling in love with the Land Below the Wind and even finding their life partners to build a family.

“The fond memories of my time in Sabah was when I was courting my wife, who is from Sandakan. We now have two children, and before I knew it, it has been 28 years,” said businessman Kelvin Kong, 53, from Sibu, Sarawak.

Kong has countless beautiful memories of Sabah and the most memorable was when he met his wife, because he came to know and love Sabah more.

“Sabahans are friendly, soft-spoken and charming. Sabah is also blessed with incomparable natural wonders such as Mount Kinabalu, the Crocker Range, islands, beaches, clear rivers and amazing wildlife. It makes me want to live here forever,” he added.

Kong said Malaysians were generally peace-loving and that an equal division of wealth to a developing state like Sabah could strengthen unity.

Abdul Rahim Harun, 33, who is with the security forces and a father-of-two from Melaka, also met his wife in Sabah.

He had actually fallen in love with the state much earlier when he was posted there for work in 2011 and it was the perfect place to indulge in his hobby of hiking.

“There are many amazing mountains and hills for hiking –all the more when you have a partner to enjoy it with.

“Now even our children are hooked on hiking,” he said, adding that he met his wife, who is from Sandakan, in 2015.

Abdul Rahim said his quality of life was better since moving to Sabah because the people were affectionate, kind and generous.

Despite the diverse ethnic groups, it was easy to mingle with them and partake in their traditional cuisines, he said.

Ramlah Bakar, 39, a teacher from Kota Samarahan in Sarawak, is also captivated by the multi-racial and multi-cultural lifestyle of Sabah, where people live as one big family regardless of their differences.

“Unity does not recognise place, background, culture and economic status.

“We must complement each other to celebrate the integration of multiple cultures, only then can we fortify economic and political stability,” she said, adding that she has worked in Sabah for 13 years.

Ramlah said the approachable nature of Sabahans made it easier for her to explore the state and take in its natural beauty.

“It feels like being in my hometown,” said Syamsuddin Kahar, 38, a soldier from Pontian, Johor, who has been living in Tuaran for about five years after being posted there.

“It was initially difficult for me to adapt because their way of life is different, especially for me as a Bugis descendant from Johor.

“But over time, I discovered that there are many things in common with the Bajau Saman ethnic group in Tuaran and also Bugis in Tawau.

“It makes me feel at home,” he said, adding that both the Bugis and Bajau Samah people were skilled sailors and horsemen.

He appreciates the friendly and affectionate nature of Sabahans, who easily welcome outsiders as part of their family, which helps him overcome feeling homesick for his family in the peninsula. — Bernama