‘Zombie town’ regains its spark with vibrant community celebrations
SANDAKAN: For a few hours on Malaysia Day, the narrow streets of Sandakan town looked a little different.
Small Jalur Gemilang fluttered above children, young people and families in traditional attire as participants made their way through rows of old shoplots from Wisma Sandakan to Lorong Kreatif.
There, the celebration continued with poetry recitals and traditional dances.
But behind the colour and festivities was another hope – to breathe life into a town centre that many locals feel has grown quieter over the years.
Called “Lorong Merdeka”, the programme was organised by Siring-Siring, a community bringing together several arts and cultural groups, associations and individuals in Sandakan.
Organising representative Mohd Azreen Amirul Mohd Ajan said Malaysia Day provided an opportunity for the community to do something for its own town.
“We want to bring Sandakan town back to life. It is often described as a ‘zombie town’ or a dead town.
“This is one of the activities brought in by the community itself.
“We believe cooperation and connections like this can help uplift Sandakan and bring activities back into town,” he said.
At the centre of that effort is Lorong Kreatif, an alleyway which the group believes could become a regular space for arts, culture and community activities.
Siring-Siring organiser Asrin Utong said the Malaysia Day programme was conceived as a pilot project after the group began discussing ways to make better use of the space.
The group hopes Lorong Kreatif could eventually host art markets and bazaars, theatre, music, cultural dances and exhibitions featuring Sandakan’s history and heritage.
For 20-year-old participant Razmil Angking, who makes and sells handicrafts, the effort is also about recovering something he remembers.
“I hope this alley can be brought back to life like before. There used to be cultural activities, dancing, singing and many other activities,” he said.
Freelance emcee Mohd Adi Shahzaley Salleh, 29, said more programmes were needed to draw people back to the area.
“There are actually many interesting places in Sandakan town. The question is how do we bring the crowd back? One way is to have more activities here,” he said.
For those who took part, celebrating Malaysia Day also meant caring for home: bringing life back to quieter spaces and keeping Sandakan’s art, culture and community spirit alive.
