Lahad Datu gears up for municipality status

Lahat Datu has shed its cowboy-town image and is gearing up to become a municipality by 2015, following in the footsteps of its neighbours Sandakan and Tawau. The town, with its origins going back to the 15th century, has witnessed rapid progress over the years, because it is located in a rapidly developing district, which goes by the same name and covers 6,500 square kilometres. Moreover, the district caught the attention of all Malaysians, if not the world, due to the incursion of Sulu militants into Kampung Tanduo, which is situated 130 kilometres from Lahad Datu town. Lahad Datu District Officer Zulkifli Nasir noted that the town and the district have recovered from the dark chapter and things are back to normal now. "During the height of the conflict, the roads were empty, shops were shut by 3 p.m., and there were not many people on the streets," he said, recalling the impact of the incursion and the subsequent operations under "Ops Daulat" to flush out the intruders who had come from south Philippines. The incident has also been seen as a blessing in disguise, because the government subsequently established the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM), headquartered in Lahat Datu, further enhancing the security in Lahat Datu. Zulkifli told Bernama that ESSCOM's command centre would help boost economic development in the district and subsequently transform Lahat Datu town into a fully fledged municipality. "ESSCOM will instil confidence in the local population and foreign investors with regard to the safety of the area," he said, adding that tourism, industry and agriculture were the economic mainstays of the district. The district's rapid economic growth has attracted more people to the area, and the Lahat Datu town itself has a population of about 300,000 now, compared with 200,000 just eight years ago. Today, the Lahat Datu town is similar to the Ampang township in Selangor, grappling with traffic congestion during the peak hours in the morning and evening. The population of the township is made up of local ethnic groups Bajau, Idahan, Iranun, Bugis, Suluk, Tidung and Dusun Begahak. Zulkifli was proud of the fact that the Lahad Datu town and district were the fastest developing areas in the whole of Sabah. As the town is fast expanding, efforts have been made to improve public amenities, such as transportation, infrastructure and water supply. In order to meet the requirements of the youth, an RM15 million sports complex is under construction. An international airport in Lahat Datu is also on the cards. The incursion episode has revealed to the world that Lahat Datu has pristine beauty and high tourism potential. Zulkifli listed the Danum Valley, Tabin Wildlife Resort and Menara Kayangan Gunung Silam as among the areas in the district that can attract tourists. "Lahad Datu also boasts of beautiful white beaches and islands, including the Felda Gugusan Sahabat, where Kampung Tanduo is located. The private sector is encouraged to develop the tourism potential here," he said. Kampung Tanduo, which bore the brunt of the confrontation between the intruders and security forces, will also see a monument erected in the memory of fallen soldiers and police personnel. Ops Daulat resulted in the death of eight policemen and two soldiers on the Malaysian side and 68 intruders. "Nonetheless, the monument alone will not be good enough to attract visitors; the monument should be packaged with other attractions like aquaculture or diving activities and should be promoted by the private sector, Zulkifli stated. The Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (POIC) in Lahat Datu encompasses three phases, covering 2,200 hectares, and is being developed by local and foreign investors to facilitate downstream activities, including palm biodiesel production. "Many started out in the palm oil sector, but now they have diversified into other sectors as well," Zulkifli noted. The Gugusan Sahabat in Lahad Datu is the biggest palm oil producer in the country, with 105,685 hectares under palm oil plantation, and that is where Felda Sahabat is situated, the place where the intrusion occurred. The robust economic development in Lahad Datu has opened up more employment opportunities for the youths in the district, and they no longer have to migrate elsewhere in search of work, said Zulkifli. The current scenario augurs well for the Lahat Datu township that not only is on the way to achieving municipality status but also set to become a city later.