Architects must come out with designs that relect Sabah state’s eco-wonders

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah architects must be innovative and come out with designs that reflect the state’s eco-wonders into state’s architecture, Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman said.

“As a melting pot of cultures, and as a state that is known globally for its eco wonders, it is my hope that you will strive to incorporate these values into architecture,” he said.

Musa said the state government shared the mission to promote the advancement of architecture and the profession for the betterment of the society.

“Through this mission and other objectives, you are playing an important role in realising our vision of turning Sabah into a developed and progressive state”, Musa said at the “Celebrating 50 years of Architecture in Sabah” organised by the Sabah chapter of Architect Association of Sabah (PAM).

Musa, whose speech was read by Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said that the population growth and congestion of urban

centres also requird those involved in planning and designing to include elements of environmental sustainability in buildings, and especially in homes.

“Learn from the best to ensure that buildings do not require too much lighting in the day, or too much air-conditioning, helping reduce electricity usage and with that lowering emissions,” he added.

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Borneo's oldest Palaeolithic site found in Lahad Datu

KOTA KINABALU: More than 200,000 years ago, humans migrated to Borneo where an early settlement was recorded in Lahad Datu.

The discovery of the Mansuli site, about 50km from the Lahad Datu township, uncovered thousands of prehistoric artefacts dating back as early as 235,000 years ago.

Discovered by chance, Mansuli is believed to be the oldest Palaeolithic site in the Borneo archipelago.

Local-born archaeologist Jeffrey Abdullah said in 2003, a team was heading to the Gua Samang Buat archaeological site when they stumbled upon stone tools on the ground, about a kilometre from the cave.

"We dug the area to uncover more objects and the excavations revealed that the site had been used as a workshop to make stone tools during the Palaeolithic period.

"This proves that there was early settlement in the area and we've used optically stimulated luminescence dating (OSL dating) to find out when it occurred," he said at the "Malaysian Archaeology: Tracing The Ancient Society" exhibition at the Sabah Musuem here yesterday.

Present were state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Da-tuk Masidi Manjun, Sabah Museum director Joanna Kitingan and USM Global Archaeological Research Centre director Prof Dr Mokthar Saidin

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Good archaeo-tourism potential in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: The prospect of starting archaeo-tourism in Sabah is good and the state government will be looking seriously into the proposal, Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said.

Commenting on the proposal by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Global Archeology Research Centre director Professor Dr Mokhtar Saidin, Masidi said there are tourists who are interested in learning about the start of civilization in Sabah.

“The archeo-tourism is a very good idea. In fact, we will seriously look into it. There has been a move but I suppose now with all these latest findings, there is a need for some urgency to turn it into another of our tourism products.

“I believe there are enough tourists who are keen to go into this sort of package. What is needed is a smart package to be offered by the tour companies and it should be a niche product in a sense that there are only specific people interested in this sort of package,” he said.

Travel agents must strive on creating a niche market package, he added.

“More importantly, it is for the preservation of the site. When people see that you can make money out of the site they will make sure that they protect it,” he said when met after officiating at the ‘Arkeologi Di Malaysia’ (Archaeology in Malaysia) exhibition at the State Museum here yesterday.

According to Dr Mokhtar, USM has been carrying out archaeologyical studies in Sabah for the past 20 years and during that time, have made very important findings in terms of how far back the state and Borneo have been occupied by humans.

One of the most important findings by USM and the State Museum Department was the artifact in Mansuli Valley in Lahad Datu which dates back to 235,000 years ago, he said, adding that this shows humans have settled in Sabah even before Niah Caves in Sarawak.

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