Borneo Post 24th January 2008 Thursday
KOTA KINABALU:
The scenic Pulau Berhala in Sandakan is an ideal location for the construction of a Mazu (Goddess of the Sea) statue, said Sandakan DAP Coordinator Anthony Teo.
Teo said “Berhala Island is rich with its own colorful history, as it was once used as a place to intern lepers, and during the World War II, the Allied Forces and the Japanese Army fought for control of the island by controlling the narrow passageway into Sandakan Bay”.
“There is also this little known lighthouse perched atop the island and it has been in existence since time immemorial, guiding countless ships coming in and out of Sandakan Bay at night,” said Anthony yesterday.
He was commenting on the recent proposal made by the Sabah and Labuan Federal Territory Hainan Association to build the biggest Mazu Temple in Sabah.
The Sabah and Labuan Federal Territory Hainan Association Chairman John Lim said during their 13th executive committee recently, the Association unanimously decided to apply for a piece of land from the State for the purpose of building a big “Tien Hou Temple” or widely known as “Mazu Temple”.
According to him, more than 80 per cent of Hainanese are Mazu believers. Anthony said Sandakan DAP branch strongly supports both such undertakings by the Hainan association and the construction of the Mazu statue in Kudat which has been halted by the Kudat local authority.
“I want the Sabah State Government to come out in full support of the association’s proposal and to decide now and make available a piece land for the project, and not after the general election.” This time round, I also urge the SAPP to come out strongly to support the project and not with its’ never opposed nor condemned statement regarding the Kudat Mazu statue, as that would only show SAPP is neither here or nor there. “
SAPP should categorically declare whether they support it or not; please make your stand loud and clear and not wait to be told by the public to do so,” Teo said in a statement.
Anthony reckoned that the Sandakan Hainan Association Chairman Datuk John Lim Shau Ket, who is also involved in the tourist industry in Sandakan, should lobby extra hard with Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman and Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan, as both are from Sandakan, to have the biggest Mazu temple built in Sandakan.
He said this would also help to draw more tourists to visit Sandakan.
”I further urge Datuk John Lim to propose to the State Government to have Mazu temple built on Berhala Island, which faces the Sulu Sea as this will help to develop the island into a tourist centre or perhaps a “L.angkawi” of Sandakan.
”This location does provide the best scenic view for ocean-going vessels or fishermen’s boats coming into out going out of Sandakan Bay,” he added.