Papar, Malaysia

Papar
—  Town  —
Seal
Papar
Coordinates: 5°44′0″N 115°56′0″E / 5.733333°N 115.933333°E / 5.733333; 115.933333
Country	Malaysia
State	Sabah
Area
• Total	1,243.2 km2 (480.0 sq mi)
Elevation	9 m (30 ft)
Population (2010)
• Total	128,434
• Density	100/km2 (270/sq mi)

Papar is the name of a town as well as a district located in West Coast Division of Sabah, east Malaysia. It is situated 38 kilometres south of Kota Kinabalu and is one of the main stops on the North Borneo Railway. Papar is also a major stopover point for people travelling by car from the southern Sabahan towns of Sipitang and Beaufort to Kota Kinabalu.

History

The name 'Papar' comes from a Bruneian word meaning 'flat or open land'. Like most of the west coast of Sabah, it was originally ruled by the Bruneian sultanate. Soon after, it was administrated by its first officer, Datu Amir Bahar, of Bajau decent, who was responsible for the departure of the Bruneian leader. Papar then handed to Overbeck and Dent brothers, in 1877.

The first British officer to served Papar was H.L. Leicester. He started his first job in February 1878 with vision to increase economic income of Papar. However, his vision was almost impossible to be achieved in struggled with economic problem at that time by British North Borneo Company. He was later replaced by Alfred Hart Everett.

Islam

Papar is one of the most important place in Sabah (North Borneo) after Lahad Datu in the East Coast function as a place for spreading Islam in Sabah. The district's first mosque was built at Kampung Laut around 1878, which then remained there until this day by the name Masjid Daerah Papar (Papar District Mosque). There are also some major mosques within district area such as Masjid Pekan Bongawan and Masjid Haji Mohd Yaakob, both at Bongawan and Beringgis respectively.

District

A typical small-town sundry shop owned by ethnic Hakka Chinese in Papar.

The population in the district according to the census was 128,434 in 2010,^[1] and almost evenly divided between Bruneian Malay (Benoni, Buang Sayang, Bongawan, Kampung Laut, Kelanahan, Kimanis, Kinarut), Kadazandusun (Rampazan, Limbahau, Kinarut, Kopimpinan, Lakut, Mondolipau, Koiduan, Ulu Kimanis, Sumbiling, Limputung), and Bajau (Pengalat Besar, Pengalat Kecil, Kawang, Beringgis). A sizeable Chinese from ethnic Hakka, is also scattered throughout the district along with numbers of Filipinos, Indians and Pakistani.

The Papar area is characterised by low lying coastal areas which extend inland towards the Crocker Range.^[2] Traditionally this was good rice growing land and the flat open paddy fields may have given it the name. Even today, despite the rapid expansion of the city of Kota Kinabalu around 40 km north of Papar, the district is still dominated by paddy fields, which are largely worked by natives, and fruit orchards, most of which belong to the Hakka Chinese.

Town

One of the old town shop that still remains until today.

The town itself occupies the southern banks of the Papar River not far from the sea. There are also areas of tidal wetland that are home to mangrove trees and saltwater palm or nipah. Both banks are connected by two steel-concrete bridges, one (with a railway bridge) connecting directly into the town itself, and another much farther upriver (on the old Kota Kinabalu-Papar road) leading into the paddy plantation hamlets.

Papar railway bridge.

The town has seen considerable growth in recent years but still preserves some of its older buildings and features. Important architectural features which can be seen in the Papar town includes the District Office, Papar Public Library, Papar Public Park, New Papar Market, OKK Mahali Park (which constitutes a large part of the new town), Salleh Sulong Hall and a new bigger Papar Community Hall which also hosts a weekly wet market on its compounds, a sports complex with a field, a stand and a gymnasium, and the new train station, which doubles as a bus and mini-van station which serves the Kota Kinabalu-Papar-Beaufort route.

Despite repair and refurbishment over the years, the Papar railway bridge looks much as it did in the Second World War. It featured in Allied plans to retake North Borneo from the Japanese. References to it and the Papar River can be found in reports on covert intelligence operations Agas and Semut, and later in attack plans Stallion and Oboe 6.^[3]

Education

Papar is known as the West Coast Division education hub. Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara (National Youth Skill Institute) or IKBN and Maktab Rendah Sains MARA (MARA Science College) or MRSM are the first IKBN and MRSM built in Sabah. Papar main secondary schools are SMK Majakir, SMK Benoni, SMK Takis, SMK Kinarut, SMK Bongawan I/II, SM St. Joseph, SMK St. Mary and Papar Middle School.

Papar has the most religious schools among districts; SMK(A) Tun Datu Mustapha, SMK(A) Limauan, new SMA Toh Puan Hajah Rahmah and SMA Islamiah Papar. Both SMK are under central government administrative while both SMA are under state government administrative. Papar education complex type area is situated at Kinarut which includes the IKBN, MRSM, SMK(A) Tun Datu Mustapha and SMA Toh Puan Hajah Rahmah. A number of primary schools can be found in the district.

Tourism

Utan Paradise Jungle Camp are also one of the tourist attractions in Papar.

Tourism industry is one of the leading industry in Papar after the agriculture industry. Many resorts can be found along the coastline of Papar from north to south of the district such as Beringgis Beach Resort. Other tourist attractions are:

• Dinawan Island
• Kawang Forest Centre
• KK Adventure Park
• Mai Aman
• Utan Paradise Jungle Camp

References

Notes

v t e Sabah Divisions Interior Division Kudat Division Sandakan Division Tawau Division West Coast Division Cities Kota Kinabalu (capital) Sandakan Tawau Main Towns Beaufort Beluran Keningau Kinabatangan Kota Belud Kota Marudu Kuala Penyu Kudat Kunak Lahad Datu Nabawan Papar Pitas Penampang Ranau Semporna Sipitang Tambunan Tenom Tongod Tuaran Other Towns Bingkor Bongawan Donggongon Inanam Kalabakan Kimanis Kinarut Kundasang Membakut Menggatal Pensiangan Putatan Sapulut Sepanggar Sindumin Sook Tamparuli Telipok Telupid Weston Islands Bai Island Bait Island Bakungan Island Balambangan Island Bancawan Island Banggi Island Batik Kulambu Island Berhala Island Big Maliangin Island Bilang Bilangan Island Bodgaya Island Bohayan Island Boheydulang Island Bum Bum Island Creagh Reef Dinawan Island Gaya Island Jambongan Island Kahamkamman Island Kaniogan Island Kapalai Island Lankayan Island Larapan Island Libaran Island Ligitan Island Mabul Island Maganting Island Malawali Island Mamutik Island Mantanani Island Manukan Island Mataking Island Mata Pahi Island Menampilek Island Mengalum Island Montokud Island Musa Island Nunuyan Land Island Nunuyan Sea Island Omadal Island Pagassan Island Palak Island Pandanan Island Pasalat Reef Pom Pom Island Puru Puru Island Roach Reef Saddle Island Sakar Island Sand Island Sapi Island Sebatik Island Selingan Island Sepanggar Island Sikarindingan Island Sipadan Island Si Amil Island Silumpat Island Small Maliangin Island Sulug Island Tabawan Island Tambisan Island Tetabuan Island Tiga Island Tigabu Island Timbang Island Timbun Mata Island Spratly Islands dispute Ardasier Reef Dallas Reef Erica Reef Investigator Shoal Layang Layang Island Louisa Reef Mariveles Reef

Coordinates: 5°44′N 115°56′E / 5.733°N 115.933°E / 5.733; 115.933