The Early Story of Tawau's Coconut and Abaca Plantations
by Kumis Kumis
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| Jalan Kelapa and Jalan Abaca |
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| Jalan Kelapa |
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| Jalan Abaca |
Jalan Kelapa and Jalan Abaca, Tawau was named after two of Tawau's most significant early agricultural commodities that include Coconut (copra) and Abaca (Manila Hemp).
Tawau owes its prosperity almost entirely to agriculture.
We wish to share a simple chronology of Tawau's Coconut and Abaca pre-war history:-
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| Coconut Estate Tawau Circa 1920s |
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| Coconut (Copra) |
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| Tawau Coconut Plantation's Map |
Coconuts
Coconut’s name comes from the old Portuguese and Spanish
word coco, meaning 'head' or 'skull' after the three indentations on the
coconut shell that resemble facial features.
Coconut is not alien plant and North Borneo is its native
land.
Coconuts flourish everywhere in Tawau, and it is chiefly to
the increased activity in their cultivation that Tawau owes its prosperity.
Much of the land owned by the Japanese.
1837, on the east coast of Borneo, Bugis of Celebes or
Natives of Sulu keep the Dayak, Tidong, Murut etc in subjection with products
of the country taken to Sulu Island and Coti (Kutei, central Eastern Borneo) by
GW Earl
1848, The whole of the North East Coast of Borneo is covered
in jungle with ranges of damp grass, interspersed with swamp and infested with
Venomous snakes. By Frank Marryat.
1857, no clear evidence of settlement
1879, new settlement of half dozen Banjers at Tawau Lama
1880, settlers begun coming with some Chinese towkays became
involved in copra trading.
1882, La Toampong Bin Hj Andabuku @ Penghulu Puado a Bugis
from Sulawesi led 25 mostly Bugis, Suluk, Bajau and Tidong to open up a
settlement at Tawau Lama and plant coconut trees.
1887, the soil from Tinagat to Sibuco River rich with
tropical products.
1892, The town of Tawau, founded as a settlement, lies on
the Northern side of the harbour, a few miles from Batu Tinagat.
1893, some applications have been made for land by natives
and Chinese for coconut planting
1893, some Arab settlers such as Habib Sheh bought coconut
lands from the Tidongs
1896, the old settlement and the Tanjong in Tawau already
planted with coconuts.
1900, Kee Kim Swee take up 16 acres behind the present site
of Sin Hwa School which was planted with coconut
1902, jungle product was described as the main industry of
the Natives that include coconut
1911, Abdul Razak Bin Tawalani and eight others grew
coconuts around Tawau Lama.
1913, Coconuts became increasingly a mainstay of
smallholders with 26,000 trees on 414 acres in the vicinity of the town.
1913, Stephen Tan and Mary Wong bought 175 acres of land at
Pasir Puteh and engaged workers to plant coconut
1915, George Whoolley described the view of Coconut trees
from the elevated location of the District officer's House looking south beyond
which was Cowie Bay.
1915, onwards coconut smallholdings were given boost by
government policy when land was given to natives and Chinese on coconut terms
that is on condition that they develop it with coconuts.
1915, Ruwah and his 20 followers took up 160 acres in the
Imam River and planted Coconut. Haji Talip and 7 others took up 32 acres on
coconut terms on Sebatik area.
1916, the Coconuts trees has risen to 50,668 trees. Most of
the newly cleared land around the town was planted with coconuts
1916, Kubota Estates became the first major estate to
specialise in coconuts. The first land acquisition was 2000 acres some 3 miles
east of the town on the way to Apas Valley where the estates had some 200
employee plant coconuts. Other estates named Kosugi estate also planted
coconuts.
1916, Daeng Mapata bin Supu were described as the most
energetic and successful cultivators of coconuts East and West of the town.
1917, Yoshioka open up 1000 acres of land for coconut
plantations
1919, Kubota Estates covered 5,354 acres. 1730 acres planted
with 62,000 coconut trees and 6,650 rubber trees.
1920, Kubota used 750 acres to plant Coconuts.
1920, Leong Hoi purchased 21 acres with a house and young
coconuts for $6,000 from Chin Peng.
1929, Kubota Company owned 3,500 acres under coconut trees.
1930, John Wong Jun Syn was granted 30 acres of land on
which he grew coconuts in his spare time.
1931, Long Kai Fung decided to work collecting coconuts
1933, District office report shows that agricultural produce
and coconut oil were doing well and improving and coconut among Tawau's top
export.
1935, the price of Coconut drops
1938, the Kosugi and Tawau Rubber Estate Enterprise went
guarantors for 39 families of formosan labourer who employed by 5 Japanese
company in Tawau and Merotai Coconut business among others.
1939, Coconuts were attacked by insect pests and bugs called
Artana Catovantha, Nettle Caterpillar and Setora Niten that had a huge impact
on the production capacity.
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| Abaca or Manila Hemp |
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| Abaca Fibre |
Abaca (Manila Hemp)
Abaca binomial name Musa textilis, is a species of banana
native to the Philippines, grown as a commercial crop in the Philippines,
Ecuador, and Costa Rica.
The plant, also known as Manila Hemp, has great economic
importance, being harvested for its fiber, also called Manila hemp, extracted
from the leaf-stems.
1916, Kuhara Estate purchased 2000 acres of land at Merotai
1918, Kubota sought to diversify into hemp growing
1920, Kubota Estate Hemp growing was successful.
1920, Kuhara Estate had begun planting hemp
1922, 12,750 acres of Japanese estates that include Imam
Estates and Merotai
1924, Kuhara Estate's Hemp was said to possess a greater
breaking strength than a sample of the Philippines grade most extensive used.
1925, Japanese smallholders were also growing Abaca.
1928, Kubota estate opening land at Balung where Hemp was
planted.
1932, death of Umeme Kubota and Kubota Estate renamed Tawau
Estate Limited.
1933, Hemp among top Tawau's export
1934, Tawau Estate Limited had 100 acres of hemp
1935, Sin on Road and Apas Road area considered suitable to
plant hemp for Chinese smallholders
1938, Kosugi and Tawau Rubber Estate enterprises went
guarantors for 38 families who were employed by 5 Japanese small companies in
Merotai and Tawau Hemp business.
1938, Japanese entrepreneurs owned 22 rubber, coconut and
hemps plantations covering 60,000 acres.
1938, the Hemp supply became not consistent due to insect
pests and bugs attacks called root rot and heart rot
1940, Tawau Estate Limited acquire land rights planting Hemp
on the Balung River.
Photo source: Azlan Lauddin Martin Azlan
Source:
1. Ken Goodlet, Tawau The Making of a tropical community. (2010)
2. Owen Rutter, British North Borneo, An Account of its
History, Resources and Native Tribes (1922)
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