A BRIEF HISTORY OF GAYA ISLAND 1846 -1899 UNDER THE BRITISH NORTH BORNEO CHARTERED COMPANY

A BRIEF HISTORY OF GAYA ISLAND 1846 -1899 UNDER THE BRITISH NORTH BORNEO CHARTERED COMPANY

Edited by Kumis Kumis

A local resident of Pulau Gaya by the name of Mr "Bong" recently invited me to the island. He welcome my group to his house and introduced us to the Kampung elder. Mr Bong claimed that they were originally from Mengkabong several generation ago. Mr Bong involved in tourism industry and an avid amateur historian. He shows me the remnants of old settlements, a very old well, a hidden caves and bring me around the island using his boat. Treasure hunters with metal dictator are known to have visited the islands once a while. He told me that generally when people talk about the history of Gaya Island, the first thing they remembered was the attack of Mat Salleh on the island in 1897. Mr Bong wish he could know more about the history of Gaya Island. The history of Pulau Gaya or Gaya Island during the company administrations actually have been well documented by the colonial officials. On the inquiry of Mr Bong, I did some background check on the island's more than 170 years history.