Sekolah Kebangsaan Tetabuan Beluran, Sabah, East Malaysia

Sekolah Kebangsaan Tetabuan Beluran: An island school off Sandakan in Sabah

While in Sandakan, I was privileged to make the acquaintance of  Cikgu Farhana who teaches in this school. She was posted  here from Muar, and has to serve for three years.  She gave me an interesting account of life on the remote island teaching Bajau kids.

This is the school canteen.

 

Cikgu Farhana and a friend from Finland who helped out in the school briefly.

From Sandakan, she has to travel for an hour or so and then hop onto a boat to reach the island school. Being remote and isolated, you can imagine the hardship and sacrifices teachers and the headmaster have to endure. But their primary concern is to give the kids a good education.

Students returning home.

School starts as early as 7 AM. Like kids in most rural communtities, they lead a carefree life.

Note: Images courtesy of Cikgu Farhana.

2009 Mt Kinabalu Climathon - dare you take up the challenge?

Publicity poster on Mt. Kinabalu Climbaton

Want bragging rights when you meet friends for coffee? Then take part in this year' s Mt Kinabalu Climbathon in Sabah. No, there's no need to bring any climbing gear. Just your running shorts and shoes will do.

The 2008 champion for running up AND down Mt Kinabalu clocked two hours 44 mins 47 sec

I took about 8 hours just to reach the top but these guys are running up and down in less than 3 hours. Amazing!

FYI, Mt Kinabalu is about 4000 m high, and the total distance for the race is 21 km.

If you decide to quit the race halfway, it's OK. At least the view from the top is spectacular.

The orang -utan of Sepilok, Sabah, East Malaysia

 Many visitors were rushing to the feeding platform, and failed to notice this orang-utan relaxing above them.

 He (or maybe she, I don't know) came down to greet his human cousins.

What's wrong with you, huh? Stop staring, OK?