Presenting Labuan ~

Labuan is an island with an estimated population of 100,000 people. It's quite a close community where everyone knows everyone. The main town is known as Labuan Town (Bandar Labuan in Malay) but was formerly known as Victoria during the colonial era. Labuan Town is among the cleanest towns in Malaysia. You will observe the Labuan Corporation (local authority) workers diligently doing their job. Labuan was proclaimed a Federal Territory on 16/04/1984 and declared an International Offshore Financial Centre on 1/10/1990. A few of the major businesses that are run on the island include international offshore banking, steel mills, a methanol plant, floor tiles production, flour mills as well as offshore supplies. Because of these major businesses, Labuan has many non-Labuan natives that work here. It is also a tourist destination for people traveling through Sabah, nearby Bruneians and scuba divers. The name Labuan derives from the Malay word labuhan meaning harbour.

Why Pulau Labuan ?

Labuan is very safe to travel in and is a very peaceful city. The residents of the city are also very friendly and nice people. Most of them jog through some of the most secluded roads of the island and never get mugged or robbed. If you are a health freak, then you can choose to do the same without any worry!

Crime

As mentioned before, the crime rate is incredibly low in Labuan in spite of some frequent arguments between some immigrants. Most of these fights happen only between themselves and there has been no instance of a tourist being attached by them. You will hardly find any police while touring the island because of the very low crime rate of the island.

Road safety

The roads remain mostly free of vehicles and you will get to drive smoothly if you choose to hire a car for touring the island. The attitude of the local drivers is carefree so you may find a car moving very slowly on the road. It may seem strange to you, but that is actually a normal occurrence at Labuan. Jaywalkers are in plenty and hardly pay any attention to what is coming towards them. Be careful while driving on the road of Labuan because of this reason. You will also find lots of children playing on the road while driving through the rural areas so you need to be very careful. Some attractions like the Anjung Ketam and the Peace Park are located in rural areas so you may need to travel to rural Labuan.

Attire

This is especially for all the single female travelers. You need to pay attention to what you are wearing while staying at Labuan.  Most Malaysians are used to seeing tourists in vests and hot pants, but it may land you in trouble at rural areas. While visiting the beaches, carry a sarong with you and wrap it around yourself as soon as you get out of the water. Malaysian women like to swim while being fully dressed along with their scarves. You are not expected to do that of course, but it is better to be aware of the local customs and traditions.

Following are a few more things to remember while travelling in Labuan

Do not shake hands with anybody unless you happen to know that person. Do not offer to shake hands with a Malaysian woman if you do not know her.

Never ever, talk about Malaysian politics and ethnic relations. Both of them are very sensitive subjects for the people of Labuan and will only invite trouble.

Do not kiss or hug your partner while being at a public place. It is okay in places like Kuala Lumpur but not in Labuan.

Never ever, tell any local that he or she belongs to Sabah. The inhabitants of Labuan, especially the young people are very proud of the Federal Territory of Malaysia status of Labuan. Labuan has its own anthem and flag and so it is not a part of Sabah anymore according to the Labuan agreement of 1984.

History About Pulau Labuan

The island's name came from Brunei Malay word "labohan" which means anchorage. Labuan had a glorious history under the rule of various empires. After the demise of the Majapahit Empire in the 14th century, Labuan came under the rule of the Brunei Sultanate. On 24 December 1846, Captain G.R. Mundy, commanding H.M.S. Iris, took possession of Labuan, "In the Name of Her Majesty Victoria Queen of Great Britain and Ireland under the Direction of His Excellency Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane, C.B., Commander-in-Chief".
The British had negotiated with the Sultanate of Brunei for Labuan among other things. by 1847 the British government concluded a Treaty of Friendship and Commerce with the Sultan of Brunei, at the same time acquiring the island of Labuan. On 1 August 1848, Labuan was declared a free port and open to settlers. The Colonial Office took over Labuan in January 1906. In 1907 it became part of the Straits Settlements, a British colony comprising Singapore, Penang and Malacca.
During World War II, Labuan was occupied by the Japanese, along with other parts of what was then called British North Borneo (now Sabah). Thousands of Allied troops died in the fighting and eventual defeat of the Japanese in Labuan.
In 1963, Sabah joined the Federation of Malaysia, with Labuan included as a district of Sabah. In the 1984 Labuan Agreement, Sabah agreed to cede Labuan to the Federal Government of Malaysia. Labuan became a Federal Territory, with a status equivalent to that of the states of Malaysia.

Place - Birds Park

The other famous place to visit is the Birds Park. There are a lot of different species of birds you can see. The bird park is just opposite of the Chimney. Consist of 3 major dome connected together. Houses a number of species of bird. Entrance is 3 RM for locals and 5 RM for foreigners.

Place - World War II Sites

Pulau Labuan is a significant historical destination particularly from the time of World War II. The Labuan War Cemetery, Allied Landing Point and Japanese Surrender Park are three major World War II sites attracting foreign and local visitors alike. A "Remembrance Day" is held every November at the Labuan War Cemetery to honour the 3,900 recorded graves of Fallen Heroes of World War II. This event is attended by Malaysian and foreign war veterans and family members of the Allied soldiers killed in action during the war between 1942 and 1945.

Food - Punjung

Another common local food in Labuan is "punjung". Made from rice flour, they are little cone-zsized desserts with green jelly - like fillings wrapped in banana leaves.

Food - Coconut Pudding

At Labuan, The most famous local dessert is " Coconut Puding", which you wouldn't be able to find in anywhere else. Good coconut pudings can be found in Pulau Labuan Restaurant with RM6 each.

Event - Sport Fishing

Sport fishing is one of the biggest activities of Labuan and you will find statues of Sailfish scattered all around the place. Labuan is already well known for the diving opportunities it offers to tourists, but very few people are aware of the sport fishing. This activity goes on throughout the year and people participate for catching prizes like a mackerel, a tuna, a sailfish or a marlin. The best place to go for fishing is the Mangrove forests around the Barramundi region. Along with lots of fishes, you will also find a lot of coral reefs there.

At 28 Jun - 30 Jun, there are Malaysia Water Festival (Fishing Carnival) at Labuan. There have many activities especially fishing.

Events - Pasar Tamu

The main event in Labuan is Pasar Tamu. Pasar Tamu is event that happened two(2) days in a week. Pasar Tamu is exactly like Pasar Tani in West Malaysia. In Sabah, Pasar Tamu is to strengthen the relationship between community and ethnic.

On a Saturday and Sunday, enjoy a stroll down to the outdoor street markets. All fresh vegetables, foods and crafts on display. The Tamu or weekend markets are in the middle of town are easily recognisable with the colourful canopies of the stalls.

Be ready to bargain or haggle with the stall-holders to ensure that you can get the best bargains.

Races - Kedayan

The other most races in Labuan is Kedayan. The origins of Kedayans are somewhat uncertain, with some Kedayans claiming to have Javanese origins. However, most researchers consider them indigenous to Borneo, having accepted Islam and influenced by Malay culture, after the establishment of the Sultanate of Brunei. Historically, the Kedayan people have occasionally rebelled against control (taxation) by the Brunei nobles.

As Kedayan do not follow Islamic inheritance laws, women are entitled to own land. If the husband dies, his property goes to the wife, but only as an administrator. She cannot sell the land without the permission of their children. When she dies, the children equally divided the property, regardless of sex or age. Sometimes the excess land is transferred free to friends or relatives if they are landless.

Races - Brunei-Malay

There are many races in Labuan . Most of the peoples are Brunei-Malay . Brunei Malay is the name used to refer to several very closely related and assimilated groups of indigenous people in Brunei. Although they are ethnically related to the Malay and also share the same Islamic religion, there are many cultural and linguistic differences that make the Brunei Malay distinct from the larger Malay populations in nearby Malaysia and Singapore. 

The culture and customs of the various groups are often quite different - for instance, they differ from group to group in the adat (the unwritten village law) which regulates behavior in the individual villages.

All Brunei Malay are classified as Muslims at birth; they are exclusively Shafi Sunnis Muslims. The Brunei Malay people adhere to traditional Islamic practices and beliefs. It is estimated that Brunei has more mosques per square kilometer than any other country in the world.

Their religion is based on the five pillars of Islamic faith. They affirm there is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet. They are required to pray five times a day, give alms to the poor, fast during the month of Ramadan, and try to make at least one pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca.

The green color custom is the Brunei-Malay race's traditional custom .