Kokos Scheme Kunak, Lahad Datu

A small town formerly known as Mostyn was renamed Kunak after the Straits Steamship named Kunak. In this town lives some Cocos Community at an oil palm scheme called Kokos Scheme. This scheme is now managed by FELCRA, a Federal Government Agency that manages land rehabilitation. The landowners used to work at the abaca and tobacco estates owned by the British companies. I had the opportunity to meet some of the 1st generation who came to Lahad Datu way back in 1950s to work in the tobacco estates in Segama and Mostyn Estates. It will only take you about 1 hour from Tawau municipality to reach this Scheme. They have the modern amenities like school, 'surau' and a multi-purpose hall, their economic livelihood is moderate as they had given up their land to FELCRA to be managed.

The Cocos Community at Rancangan Kokos Pamol, Sandakan

Rancangan Kokos Pamol is located at the Sg Sugut and Sg Labuk River banks, near Pamol Plantations. I made a trip there just to see how they were doing. They started the journey to work in Pamol Estate in 1960 after the tobacco plantation closed down at Segama Lahad Datu. They took a ship named 'Renong' to Sandakan from Lahad Datu port and from Sandakan

to Pamol by small boats called 'kumpit'. The journey took about 8 hours and the sea was rough, so said the WKAN, Hj Taib Mahid who is now retired as an Executive from Pamol Plantation. He related his story that he had to attend school at another small island and life was difficult then. Rancangan Kokos is always hit by floods and this year of 2011 the floods had hit twice. The journey from Sandakan municipality to Rancangan Kokos took about 2 hours, you may have to stay overnight in one of the houses if you arrive in the afternoon as there are no public transportation. I took a ride from the Nangoh road junction, along the highway to Kota Kinabalu. I was not sure if I would make the return journey but Hj Taib was kind enough to send me to the junction on my homeward journey back to Sandakan. The fare was RM20.00 one way. There are about 300-400 people now at Rancangan Kokos according to Hj Taib.

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