The Ranau District ( ms, Daerah Ranau) is an
administrative district
Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...
in the
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
n state of
Sabah
Sabah () is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indone ...
, part of the
West Coast Division
West Coast Division ( ms, Bahagian Pantai Barat) is an administrative division of Sabah, Malaysia. It occupies the northwest portion of Sabah. With an area of 7,588 square kilometres, it occupies 10.3% of Sabah's territory. It also has approxi ...
which includes the districts of
Kota Belud
Kota Belud ( ms, Pekan Kota Belud; ; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Kú-tá Mâu-lu̍t) is the capital of the Kota Belud District in the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 8,392 in 2010. It is roughly at the midp ...
,
Kota Kinabalu
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = From top, left to right, bottom:Kota Kinabalu skyline, Wawasan intersection, Tun Mustapha Tower, Kota Kinabalu Coastal Highway, the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, the Wism ...
,
Papar
The Papar (; from Latin ''papa'', via Old Irish, meaning "father" or "pope") were, according to early Icelandic sagas, Irish monks who took eremitic residence in parts of what is now Iceland before that island's habitation by the Norsemen of S ...
,
Penampang
Penampang ( ms, Pekan Penampang) is the capital of the Penampang District in the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 93,616 in 2010, with ethnic Kadazan as the majority. It contains, or is synonymou ...
,
Putatan
Putatan ( ms, Pekan Putatan) is a municipality in the capital of the Putatan district in the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 100,000 in 2021. It is one of the satellite town of Kota Kinabalu ...
, Ranau and
Tuaran
Tuaran ( ms, Pekan Tuaran) is the capital of the Tuaran District in the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 128,200 in 2019 with half the population consists of ethnic Dusuns, most of the Lotud eth ...
. The capital of the district is in
Ranau Town. The landlocked district bordering the
Sandakan Division
Sandakan Division ( ms, Bahagian Sandakan) is an administrative division of Sabah, Malaysia. It stretches diagonally from the northeastern coast of Sabah to the state's central region. With an area of 28,205 square kilometres, it occupies 38.3% o ...
to the east until it meets the
Interior Division
The Interior Division ( ms, Bahagian Pedalaman) is an administrative division of the state of Sabah, Malaysia. It occupies the southwest portion of Sabah, bordered by the neighbouring state of Sarawak on its west. With an area of 18,298 square ki ...
border. Ranau sits east of
Kota Kinabalu
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = From top, left to right, bottom:Kota Kinabalu skyline, Wawasan intersection, Tun Mustapha Tower, Kota Kinabalu Coastal Highway, the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, the Wism ...
and west of
Sandakan
Sandakan (, Jawi: , ) formerly known at various times as Elopura, is the capital of the Sandakan District in Sabah, Malaysia. It is the second largest city in Sabah after Kota Kinabalu. It is located on the Sandakan Peninsula and east coast of ...
. As of the 2010 Census, the population of the district was 94,092,
an almost entirely
Dusun
Dusun is the collective name of a tribe or ethnic and linguistic group in the Malaysian state of Sabah of North Borneo. Collectively, they form the largest ethnic group in Sabah. Dusun has been recognised as among the indigenous community of ...
ethnic community.
[
Ranau is noted for its hilly geographical structure and is the largest producer of highland vegetables in the state of Sabah. Tourism and highland agriculture are the major industries, as the district is at an altitude of 1,176 m above sea level.]["Destinations: Places To Go - Ranau"]
. Sabah Tourism Board. Retrieved 6 February 2012. Its many tourist destinations attracted half a million tourists in 2009. These include Mount Kinabalu
Mount Kinabalu ( ms, Gunung Kinabalu, Dusun language, Dusun: ''Gayo Ngaran or Nulu Nabalu'') is the highest mountain in Borneo and Malaysia. With an elevation of , it is List of islands by highest point, third-highest peak of an island on Eart ...
(the tallest mountain on Borneo), Kinabalu Park
Kinabalu Park ( ms, Taman Kinabalu), established as one of the first national parks of Malaysia in 1964, is Malaysia's first World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO in December 2000 for its "outstanding universal values" and the role as one of ...
, Poring Hot Springs, Kundasang War Memorial
The Kundasang War Memorial ( ms, Tugu Peringatan Perang Kundasang) is a memorial located in Kundasang in the Malaysian state of Sabah, which is dedicated to the British and Australian soldiers who died in the Sandakan POW camp during their dea ...
, Death March Trail, Mesilau, and Sabah Tea
Sabah Tea Sdn Bhd (doing business as Sabah Tea) is the main tea company in the state of Sabah, Malaysia since 1973. Originally owned by Sabah Tea Sdn Bhd and Desa Tea Sdn Bhd, it is the largest tea producer in Borneo, with both domestic and in ...
Garden. Ranau's diverse flora ranges from rich tropical lowland and hill rainforest to tropical mountain, sub-alpine forest and scrub on the higher elevations and particularly abundant in species with examples of flora from as far as China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
and the Himalayas
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...
, as well as pan-tropical flora.[
Kinabalu Park has been recognised by UNESCO as a Centre of Plant Diversity for ]Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
.[ In December 2000, the Kinabalu Park was designated by ]UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
as Malaysia's first World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
.["Kinabalu Park"]
World Heritage Centre, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 6 February 2012.
Ranau was home to the largest mining project in Malaysia, the Mamut Copper Mine, before it ceased operations in 1999.[Chiew, Hilary. 2 October 2007]
"Poisonous wasteland"
. ''The Star
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'', Retrieved 6 February 2012. At the peak of its mining activity, Ranau was transformed into a thriving township. The mining company constructed the Ranau Bridge across Liwagu River
The Liwagu River ( ms, Sungai Liwagu) is a river in West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia, flowing eastwards off the southern slope of Mount Kinabalu into the Labuk River in Sandakan Division. Most parts of the river are covered by primary a ...
, the Ranau Golf Course, and also made donations to school building funds, buses, and bus shelters.
History
Toponymy
The origin of the name "Ranau" comes from the Dusun
Dusun is the collective name of a tribe or ethnic and linguistic group in the Malaysian state of Sabah of North Borneo. Collectively, they form the largest ethnic group in Sabah. Dusun has been recognised as among the indigenous community of ...
word , which means paddy fields
A paddy field is a flooded field of arable land used for growing semiaquatic crops, most notably rice and taro. It originates from the Neolithic rice-farming cultures of the Yangtze River basin in southern China, associated with pre-Aus ...
. The Dusun people who live in the highland grow mountain rice on the hills (called ), where the mountain rice is called in Dusun. The people in the lowlands of Ranau use traditional water-filled paddy fields for rice cultivation. Over time, “Ranahon” was shortened to “Ranau.” As the central district administration is nearer to the lowland, the name “Ranau” was adopted as the official name for the district.
Early references
Allusions to a place in Ranau, the Mount Kinabalu
Mount Kinabalu ( ms, Gunung Kinabalu, Dusun language, Dusun: ''Gayo Ngaran or Nulu Nabalu'') is the highest mountain in Borneo and Malaysia. With an elevation of , it is List of islands by highest point, third-highest peak of an island on Eart ...
, had appeared in sources from China. Wang Dayuan Wang Dayuan (, fl. 1311–1350), courtesy name Huanzhang (), was a Chinese traveller of the Yuan dynasty from Quanzhou in the 14th century. He is known for his two major ship voyages.
Wang Dayuan was born around 1311 at Hongzhou (present-day Nan ...
mentioned a mountain called ''Long shan'' when he described the country of ''Bo ni'' (勃泥 ''bó ní'') in his book, ''Description of the Barbarians of the Isles'' (島夷誌略 ''dǎo yí zhì lüè'') written between 1330 and 1350. ''Long shan'' (龍山 ''lóng shān'') means Dragon Mountain, and the term was associated with Mount Kinabalu because there were dragon legends related to Kinabalu. Another Chinese source, a nautical compendium
A compendium (plural: compendia or compendiums) is a comprehensive collection of information and analysis pertaining to a body of knowledge. A compendium may concisely summarize a larger work. In most cases, the body of knowledge will concern a s ...
called ''Fair Winds for Escort'' (順風相送 ''shùn fēng xiāng sòng'') composed circa 1430, described a voyage from Siam
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 mi ...
to Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
via the west coast of Borneo, where the Chinese ships passed ''Sheng shan'' (聖山 ''shèng shān''). ''Sheng shan'' which means Holy Mountain, was identified as Mount Kinabalu
Mount Kinabalu ( ms, Gunung Kinabalu, Dusun language, Dusun: ''Gayo Ngaran or Nulu Nabalu'') is the highest mountain in Borneo and Malaysia. With an elevation of , it is List of islands by highest point, third-highest peak of an island on Eart ...
.
References to Mount Kinabalu had also appeared in early maps of the East Indies
The East Indies (or simply the Indies), is a term used in historical narratives of the Age of Discovery. The Indies refers to various lands in the East or the Eastern hemisphere, particularly the islands and mainlands found in and around t ...
made by Europeans cartographers, where it was referred to as ''Mount St. Pedro'' or ''Mount St. Pierre''. The name ''Mount St. Pedro'' was used by map makers such as Gerardus Mercator
Gerardus Mercator (; 5 March 1512 – 2 December 1594) was a 16th-century geographer, cosmographer and Cartography, cartographer from the County of Flanders. He is most renowned for creating the Mercator 1569 world map, 1569 world map based on ...
in his ''India Orientalis'' map published around 1595, Nicolaes Visscher II Nicolaes Visscher II (1649, Amsterdam – 1702, Amsterdam) was a Dutch engraver, cartographer and publisher. He was the son of Nicolaes Visscher I and the grandson of Claes Janszoon Visscher
Claes Janszoon Visscher (1587 – 19 June 1652) was a ...
in his early 17th-century ''Indiae Orientalis'' map, and several other cartographers. In some maps, for example, the 1710 ''Ottens's Map of Southeast Asia'' by Joachim Ottens, the mountain was called ''Mount St. Pierre''.["Le Royaume de Siam avec Les Royaumes Qui Luy sont Tributaries & c. - La Royaume de Siam avec les royaumes qui luy sont Tributaires, et les Isles de Sumatra, Andemaon, etc. Et les Isles Voisine Aven les Observations des Six Peres Jesuites Envojez par le Roy en Qualite de Ses Mathe : maticiens dans les Indes, et a laChine ou est aussi Tracee. La Route Qu'ils ont teniie par le Destroit de la Sonde Jusqu a Siam"]
Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved 18 February 2012. However, John Pinkerton
John Pinkerton (17 February 1758 – 10 March 1826) was a Scottish antiquarian, cartographer, author, numismatist, historian, and early advocate of Germanic racial supremacy theory.
He was born in Edinburgh, as one of three sons to Ja ...
's ''East India Isles'' map from 1818 labelled the mountain as ''St. Peter's Mountain''.
Because of the stories of the local people, early geographers believed that there was a great lake at the peak of the mountain. During the Ice age
An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages and gree ...
about 100,000 years ago, the mountain was covered with ice sheets and glaciers moved slowly down its slopes. Only the summit peaks were very noticeable above the ice. The natives' oral history may have had its roots in a folk memory of these glistening sheets of ice. The earliest documented expeditions to ascend Kinabalu in March 1851 and in 1858, led by Sir Hugh Low
Sir Hugh Low, (10 May 182418 April 1905) was a British colonial administrator and naturalist. After a long residence in various colonial roles in Labuan, he was appointed as British administrator in the Malay Peninsula where he made the first ...
and Sir Spenser St. John, revealed there was no lake.
Later maps, as evident in the maps by Archibald Fullarton & Co. and J.Rapkin, indicated that a lake was located south of the mountain. With further assertions from the Kiau people (of Kota Belud
Kota Belud ( ms, Pekan Kota Belud; ; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Kú-tá Mâu-lu̍t) is the capital of the Kota Belud District in the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 8,392 in 2010. It is roughly at the midp ...
district) that they had done trading business with villagers who lived near the lake shore, St. John thought the lake had probably been located southeast below Kinabalu, where the Ranau plain is situated today. The Dusun word () is used to describe a wet field of lowland rice, so highlanders may have thought they were looking at a lake when they saw irrigated rice fields. Explorers William B. Pryer and Captain Francis Xavier Witti concluded there was no lake near Mount Kinabalu when they explored the Ranau plain in the early days.
Under British North Borneo Company
During the British North Borneo Company
The North Borneo Chartered Company (NBCC), also known as the British North Borneo Company (BNBC) was a British chartered company formed on 1 November 1881 to administer and exploit the resources of North Borneo (present-day Sabah in Malaysia) ...
administration beginning in the 19th century, Ranau was governed under the Province Dent. Later it organised as a substation of Tambunan
Tambunan ( ms, Pekan Tambunan) is the capital of the Tambunan District in the Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 35,667 in 2010. It is located 80 kilometres east of the state capital, Kota Kinabalu ...
with a Government station under the Interior Residency. Ranau was connected to the West Coast Residency only by a bridle road and by a southerly bridle path to Tambunan. Telegraph line
Electrical telegraphs were point-to-point text messaging systems, primarily used from the 1840s until the late 20th century. It was the first electrical telecommunications system and the most widely used of a number of early messaging systems ...
was also available from Ranau to Tambunan.
The Ranau plain and its surrounding hilly areas were historically inhabited by Dusun
Dusun is the collective name of a tribe or ethnic and linguistic group in the Malaysian state of Sabah of North Borneo. Collectively, they form the largest ethnic group in Sabah. Dusun has been recognised as among the indigenous community of ...
farmers who practised shifting cultivation
Shifting cultivation is an agricultural system in which plots of land are cultivated temporarily, then abandoned while post-disturbance fallow vegetation is allowed to freely grow while the cultivator moves on to another plot. The period of cul ...
. Their major staple crops were upland rice
Upland rice is a type of rice grown on dry soil rather than flooded paddy field, rice paddies. It is sometimes also called dry rice.
Introduction
Today nearly 100 million people depend on upland rice as their daily staple food. Almost two-thi ...
and lowland wet rice. Natives from Ranau would go to large ''tamu'' (native market) at nearby districts to sell and buy, or exchange goods using the barter system. Tobacco
Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
, a major export item for the Company, was successfully cultivated in extensive parts of Ranau district, especially in the highlands. It became an important source of income for Ranau natives. At that time, brokers thought that the tobacco produced from highland Ranau and the Interior proper was of high quality compared to that grown down in the lowlands, although the plants were similarly obtained from Ranau.
Between 1897 and 1898, Mat Salleh
''Mat Salleh'' is a Malay term used as a colloquial expression to refer to white people. The exact origins of the expression are difficult to ascertain, due to there being several versions of the term's origin being passed down via word of mou ...
built a fort in Ranau; he used it as a base three times during his rebellion against the British North Borneo Company. His fort in Ranau was measured at long and wide. It had a three-sided strong-point on one side and a watch-tower in the middle. The fort was surrounded by a thick earth wall with high strong fence. Sharp bamboo stakes were thickly sown into the grounds around the fort. Mat Salleh first entered Ranau on 10 February 1897, where he gained many Dusun followers; his influence increased to as far as Inanam
Inanam is a suburb and sub-district of Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia. It is situated 10 kilometres from the city centre.
History
OKK Majimbun Majangkin is known as one of the key player in Inanam development. During the World War II, Inana ...
. The Company was aware of this development. It attacked his fort in Ranau on 23 February, which resulted in the death of his father. Mat Salleh escaped but retreated back to Ranau in July the same year. After being tracked down by Captain J.M. Reddie and E.H. Barraut, Ranau was attacked again but escaped. Mat Salleh's final movement to Ranau occurred in November 1897.
A total of 288 Sikh
Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...
, Iban
IBAN or Iban or Ibán may refer to:
Banking
* International Bank Account Number
Ethnology
* Iban culture
* Iban language
* Iban people
Given name
Cycling
* Iban Iriondo (born 1984)
* Iban Mayo (born 1977)
* Iban Mayoz (born 1981)
Football
* ...
and Dayak policemen from Abai Bay and Sandakan
Sandakan (, Jawi: , ) formerly known at various times as Elopura, is the capital of the Sandakan District in Sabah, Malaysia. It is the second largest city in Sabah after Kota Kinabalu. It is located on the Sandakan Peninsula and east coast of ...
led by G. Hewett, George Ormsby, P. Wise, and Adjutant Alfred Jones, were ordered to invade Mat Salleh's fort in Ranau on 13 December 1897.
The fort was significantly destroyed; during the action Jones and 13 other policemen were killed. On 9 January 1898, Hewett and his troops attacked the Ranau fort again, to find it had been abandoned by Mat Salleh and his followers. The government forces destroyed the fort completely. As a result of this rebellion, the Company built an administration building in the district. It erected a "loyalty oath stone" as a sign that the residents of Ranau swore loyalty to the Government. The loyalty oath stone still exists until today.
World War II
The Japanese occupation of North Borneo became official on 16 May 1942, and divided North Borneo into two governorates. Ranau was under the Governorate of the West Coast Territory (西海州 ) and was directly administered by a district officer (郡長 ) with the help of village headmen.
At first, the Japanese were not interested in the Interior Residency, but soon, demands for the collection of foodstuffs increased. They also realised the strategic importance of controlling the Interior. The Japanese set up a garrison
A garrison (from the French ''garnison'', itself from the verb ''garnir'', "to equip") is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a mil ...
in Ranau to control the local people; it was one of the strongest army posts in the Interior. Village headmen were given orders to gather as many groups of labourers as possible from villages all over the district, to work for the Japanese in upgrading existing roads, mainly the one leading to Sandakan
Sandakan (, Jawi: , ) formerly known at various times as Elopura, is the capital of the Sandakan District in Sabah, Malaysia. It is the second largest city in Sabah after Kota Kinabalu. It is located on the Sandakan Peninsula and east coast of ...
, and also to construct an airstrip
An aerodrome (Commonwealth English) or airdrome (American English) is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for publ ...
in Ranau near a detention camp of Australian prisoners of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold priso ...
. Ranau served as an important junction for the Japanese troops from Sandakan heading to Jesselton
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = From top, left to right, bottom:Kota Kinabalu skyline, Wawasan intersection, Tun Mustapha Tower, Kota Kinabalu Coastal Highway, the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, the Wism ...
and also for the troops from the Interior proper marching as reinforcements towards Kudat
Kudat ( ms, Pekan Kudat) is the capital of the Kudat District in the Kudat Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 29,025 in 2010. It is located on the Kudat Peninsula, about north of Kota Kinabalu, the state cap ...
.
Towards the end of the war, Ranau stood witness to the infamous Sandakan Death Marches
The Sandakan Death Marches were a series of forced marches in Borneo from Sandakan to Ranau which resulted in the deaths of 2,434 Allied prisoners of war held captive by the Empire of Japan during the Pacific campaign of World War II at the ...
. The first march started in January 1945. 470 Australian prisoners of wars left Sandakan and by June, only 6 remained alive in Ranau. The second march of 536 prisoners began on 29 May 1945. Along the way, two prisoners managed to escape into the jungle and later saved by the Allied units with the help of locals. Only 183 prisoners reached the Ranau camp on 24 June 1945. Another four prisoners successfully fled the camp and led to safety by a native teenager who found them hiding in the jungle along a river. They were also rescued by Allied paratroopers
A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during Worl ...
later. In June 1945, the Japanese captors moved with the prisoners south of Ranau to a second jungle camp near the Kenipir River to escape from the air raids of napalm
Napalm is an incendiary mixture of a gelling agent and a volatile petrochemical (usually gasoline (petrol) or diesel fuel). The name is a portmanteau of two of the constituents of the original thickening and gelling agents: coprecipitated al ...
bombs by the Allied planes. By August 1945, all survivors of the marches were killed.
Three memorials were erected in remembrance of the marches. The Ranau Memorial, also known as the Gunner Cleary Memorial was constructed in 1985 in memory of the tragic death of Gunner Albert Neil Cleary from the first Death March. The Kundasang War Memorial
The Kundasang War Memorial ( ms, Tugu Peringatan Perang Kundasang) is a memorial located in Kundasang in the Malaysian state of Sabah, which is dedicated to the British and Australian soldiers who died in the Sandakan POW camp during their dea ...
built in 1962 is a memorial park dedicated to the Australian and British servicemen who died in Sandakan and on the marches, and also to the locals who assisted the prisoners of wars. The Last Camp Memorial was newly unveiled in 2009 in remembrance of the exact spot where the Death March ended.
2015 earthquake
On 5 June 2015, an earthquake measuring at 6.0 on the Richter magnitude scale occurred at 07:15 a.m. MST with its epicentre approximately 15 km north of Ranau. Mount Kinabalu was closest to the epicentre and was affected by massive landslides causing eighteen people to lost their lives, three of which were from Ranau. Another 137 climbers were stranded on the mountain but they were eventually rescued. It was the strongest earthquake to occur in Malaysia since 1976
Events January
* January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
* January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea.
* January 11 – The 1976 Phila ...
. Following the earthquake, there were reports of damage to the structures of the Ar-Rahman Mosque, fifteen primary schools and eight secondary schools in Ranau.
Geography
Ranau is situated between 5°30’N to 6°25’N and 116°30’E to 117°5’E. The district, with a total area of , is surrounded entirely by Kota Marudu
Kota Marudu ( ms, Pekan Kota Marudu) is the capital of the Kota Marudu District in the Kudat Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 8,716 in 2010. It is located 130 kilometres north of the state capital, Kot ...
to the north, Kota Belud
Kota Belud ( ms, Pekan Kota Belud; ; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Kú-tá Mâu-lu̍t) is the capital of the Kota Belud District in the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 8,392 in 2010. It is roughly at the midp ...
to the northeast, Tuaran
Tuaran ( ms, Pekan Tuaran) is the capital of the Tuaran District in the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 128,200 in 2019 with half the population consists of ethnic Dusuns, most of the Lotud eth ...
to the west, Tambunan
Tambunan ( ms, Pekan Tambunan) is the capital of the Tambunan District in the Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 35,667 in 2010. It is located 80 kilometres east of the state capital, Kota Kinabalu ...
to the southwest, Keningau
Keningau ( ms, Pekan Keningau) is the capital of the Keningau District in the Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia. It is the fifth-largest town in Sabah, as well one of the oldest. Keningau is between Tambunan and Tenom. The town had an es ...
to the south, Tongod to the southeast, and Beluran
Beluran ( ms, Pekan Beluran) is the capital of the Beluran District in the Sandakan Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 3,132 in 2010. The population is a mixture of many ethnic groups, with the Kadazan-Dusu ...
to the east. The northern part of Ranau is bounded by the Crocker Range and the Pinousok summit which runs in a southwesterly direction, to the east lies the Ranau plain and Trus Madi Range while the southern part is bounded by the Labuk highlands. Laconically, Ranau's geography is characterised by undulating lands at most areas with a valley plain.
Demographics
According to the 2010 Census, there were 94,092 people residing in the district, with 14,207 households and 15,514 living quarters.[Department of Statistics, Malaysia. (December 2011)]
"Table 11.3: Total population by sex, households and living quarters, Local Authority area and state, Malaysia, 2010 (cont'd) (p. 150).
''Population Distribution by Local Authority Areas and Mukims, 2010.'' Retrieved 5 February 2012 The population density was 26 people per km2 (68.5/ sq mi).
The racial makeup of the district consisted of 93.1% Kadazan-Dusun
Kadazan-Dusun (also written as Kadazandusun or Mamasok Kadazan-Dusun) also less-known as "Mamasok Sabah" are two indigenous peoples of Sabah, Malaysia—the ethnic groups Kadazan and Dusun. The Kadazandusun is the largest native group of Bumip ...
, 1.7% Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
, 1.16% Bajau
The Sama-Bajau include several Austronesian ethnic groups of Maritime Southeast Asia. The name collectively refers to related people who usually call themselves the Sama or Samah (formally A'a Sama, "Sama people"); or are known by the exonym ...
, 1.0% Malay
Malay may refer to:
Languages
* Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore
** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century
** Indonesi ...
, 0.15% Murut Murut may refer to:
* Murut people
The Murut are an indigenous ethnic group, comprising 29 sub-ethnic groups inhabiting the northern inland regions of Borneo. The Murutic languages are a family of half a dozen closely related Austronesian lan ...
, 0.1% Indians, 4% Other Bumiputera Bumiputera or Bumiputra, which is a Malay word, comes from the Sanskrit word ''Bhumiputra'' which may be transliterated as "son of earth" or "son of the soil" (Bhūmi; भूमि = earth; putra = son). It has different definitions in Brunei and Ma ...
and 0.8% listed as Others.[ 6.0% were Non-Malaysian citizens, mainly foreign workers from ]Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
and the Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
working as labours in large farms and plantations.[
In the district the population was spread out, with 48,341 male residents (51.4%) and 45,751 female residents (48.6%)][ out of which 39.1% under the age of 15, 20.1% from 15 to 24, 25% from 25 to 44, 11.8% from 45 to 64, and 3.9% who were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 106 males.][
Most Ranau residents speak the Sabahan Malay dialect but the Dusun language is primarily spoken as well especially among the older generations. Mandarin and Chinese dialects such as ]Hakka
The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka Han, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas are a Han Chinese subgroup whose ancestral homes are chiefly in the Hakka-speaking provincial areas of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, Zhej ...
and Hokkien
The Hokkien () variety of Chinese is a Southern Min language native to and originating from the Minnan region, where it is widely spoken in the south-eastern part of Fujian in southeastern mainland China. It is one of the national languages in ...
are spoken among the Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
community and native languages of the other ethnicities can be heard as well. English is more or less spoken and understood by the younger generations and the locals who work in the professional sectors.
As of 2000,[ 46.85% of the population practised ]Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
. Closely behind, Christians
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
made up 45.68% of the population while 1.09% were Buddhists
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
and 0.06% were Hindus
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
. 6.31% were recorded as “Others”, presumably referring the remaining natives who still practice ancestral animistic beliefs and traditions.
Major Places of Worship
*Mosque
**Ar-Rahman Mosque (''Masjid Jamek Ar-Rahman'').
*Temple
**Ranau ''Wah San Chon Chu Kung'' ().
*Churches
**Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
of St. Peter Claver Ranau.
**Ranau Basel Christian Church of Malaysia
The Basel Christian Church of Malaysia or BCCM ( ms, Gereja Kristian Basel Malaysia), formerly known as Borneo Basel Self Established Church, is one of the four Lutheran bodies in Malaysia. It currently has 112 congregations nationwide and 63,0 ...
.
**Ranau Town Borneo Evangelical Church (''Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB)'').
**St. Paul
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
’s Anglican
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
Church.
**Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...
.
**True Jesus Church.
**GPI Church (''Gereja Perkhabaran Injil'').
The Basel church, the Chinese temple and the mosque are located next to each other along the same road called Mosque Road (''Jalan Masjid'').
Administrative divisions
In the national and state level, Ranau has only one parliamentary seat for the ''Dewan Rakyat
The Dewan Rakyat (English: 'House of Representatives'; ) is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament, the federal legislature of Malaysia. The chamber and its powers are established by Article 44 of the Constitution of Malaysia. The Dewan Ra ...
'' (House of Representatives) which is P.179 Ranau but it is represented by three state assemblymen in the Sabah State Legislative Assembly, each one for N.29 Kundasang, N.30 Karanaan and N.31 Paginatan state assembly seats respectively.
As of the 14th General Election held on 9 May 2018, the current Member of Parliament for Ranau is Jonathan Yasin and the current state assemblymen representing the district are Datuk Dr. Joachim Gunsalam for N.29 Kundasang, Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Masidi Manjun for N.30 Karanaan and Datuk Abidin Madingkir for N.31 Paginatan.
Meanwhile, in the district level, Ranau is governed under a district office form of local government headed by a District Officer. Since 2009, the District Officer of Ranau is Haji Faimin Kamin. There is only a Magistrates’ Court in the district but there is also a Native Court, having jurisdiction on matters of native law and custom.
Normally, each village will have a Village Head working as a leader, together with a Village Development and Safety Committee carrying out activities pertaining to the villagers’ interests.
Ranau district is divided into 14 sub-districts and each sub-district is divided into villages (Malay: ''kampung'', abbreviation: ''kg''.). There are a total of 212 villages in Ranau. The following are the 14 sub-districts in Ranau with its respective villages in order of proximity to Ranau township:
Economy
Ranau is an important agricultural and tourism centre in Sabah and this two sectors have been the main economy backbone for the district. Most of the tourism business are centred around the highlands of Kundasang, a sub-district in Ranau while agriculture business is widespread all over Ranau. Therefore, most people of Ranau work as farmers or operators of their own business although there are white-collar workers as well mainly in the government sectors such health, education, service and administration and a few in the banking sector.
Agriculture
The moderate temperature of the Ranau highlands coupled with its fertile soil has been fully utilised by farmers to grow different types of vegetables and fruits such as cabbage, spring onion, tomato, lettuce, carrot and to a certain extent cauliflower, capsicum and many others. Strawberry has been successfully cultivated here and there were attempts in growing apple as well although the result has been varying. Flowers of different species are also planted here for commercial purposes.
Kundasang also boasts a dairy farm owned by Desa Cattle (Sabah) Sdn. Bhd. company located at Mesilau.
Tourism
Hotels, resorts, motels and lodging houses can be found concentrated nearer to the Kinabalu Park. Not only do these facilities improved the growth of tourism business by attracting more visitors to stay longer but the local residents have also benefited as more jobs have been created for them.
Among the well-known hotels in Kundasang are the Mount Kinabalu Heritage Resort & Spa and Kinabalu Pine Resort. A new 5-star hotel called the Royal Kinabalu Mountain Resort & Hotel Suites located 800 metres from the entrance of Kinabalu Park is currently undergoing construction.
During weekends and school holidays, many tourist buses, vans, and private cars from Sarawak and Brunei head towards Ranau.
Other business
Apart from that, other business such as restaurants, superstores such as Milimewa and G-Mart, grocery shops, clothing stores, handphone shops and cyber cafés are mainly operated within the township area. CIMB Bank, Maybank, Agro Bank and Bank Simpanan Nasional each have their branch in Ranau. The only fast food restaurant in Ranau is KFC
KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) is an American fast food restaurant chain headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, that specializes in fried chicken. It is the world's second-largest restaurant chain (as measured by sales) after McDonald's, with 2 ...
which has two branches, one in Kundasang town and another in the Ranau town centre.
Mamut Copper Mine
Ranau was the centre of Malaysian copper, gold and silver mining from 1975 to 1999. The Mamut Mine
Mamut Mine ( ms, Lombong Mamut) is an abandoned open-pit mining, open-pit quarry mine located in the Ranau District of Sabah, Malaysia where from 1975 to 1999 various minerals primarily copper including some gold and silver were mined. The mine ...
at the slopes of Mount Kinabalu was an open cast mine which was operated by a joint venture of Japanese and Malaysian investors under the ''Overseas Mineral Resources Development Sabah Sdn Bhd'', later restructured under the name ''Mamut Copper Mining Sdn Bhd. (MCM)''. During the 25 years of operation, the Mamut Copper Mine was responsible for 50% of the gold and 90% of the silver production in Malaysia. In its booming years, MCM was mining an annual production of 25,000 tons of copper in Ranau.
Operations were discontinued in 1999, leaving a crater of 1200 metres diameter and a depth of 500 m. Filled with water, the crater forms now a huge lake, which - together with the heavy metal legacies of the ''Lohan Tailings Dam'' - made the headlines of several reports on environmental contamination.
Education
All primary schools and secondary schools in Ranau are public schools although a small private school for secondary school students does exist and a number of privately owned kindergartens as well. The Ranau District Education Office provides services to 11 national secondary schools and 71 national primary schools.
The only Chinese National-type school in Ranau is the Ranau Pai Wen National-type (Chinese) Primary School (). There are two schools with Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
missionaries background, St. Benedict
Benedict of Nursia ( la, Benedictus Nursiae; it, Benedetto da Norcia; 2 March AD 480 – 21 March AD 548) was an Christianity in Italy, Italian Christian monk, writer, and theologian who is venerated in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Ortho ...
's Ranau National Primary School in the town area and Don Bosco
John Melchior Bosco ( it, Giovanni Melchiorre Bosco; pms, Gioann Melchior Bòsch; 16 August 181531 January 1888), popularly known as Don Bosco , was an Italian Catholic priest, educator, writer and saint of the 19th century.
While working ...
Bundu Tuhan National Primary School in Bundu Tuhan. Apart from the typical primary schools, there are also Islamic religious primary schools that cater to Islamic education for primary students. For Islamic religious secondary school, there are only two such schools in the district, i.e. the SMA Mohammad Ali Ranau in Lohan and SMA Al-Irsyadiah Marakau Ranau in Marakau.
The oldest national secondary school in Ranau is Mat Salleh Ranau National Secondary School while the oldest primary school is Ranau Town National Primary School. Among the newly built schools in Ranau are Ranau National Secondary School and Kilimu National Primary School.
Secondary schools in Ranau
*National school
**SMK Mat Salleh, Pekan Ranau
**SMK Ranau, Kilimu
**SMK Bundu Tuhan, Bundu Tuhan
**SMK Kundasang, Kundasang
**SMK Matupang Jaya, Matupang
**SMK Timbua, Timbua
**SMK Lohan, Lohan Ulu
**SMK Ulu Sugut, Kaingaran
**SMK Komburongoh, Komburongoh
*Islamic religious school
**SMA Mohammad Ali Ranau, Lohan,
**SMA Al-Irsyadiah Marakau Ranau, Marakau
Secondary school leavers can also opt to take vocational courses at the Ranau MARA Vocational Centre (''Pusat Giat MARA Ranau''). There is also a bible school; '' Maktab Teologi Sabah'' (Sabah Theology School) located in Namaus which offers up until degree level programs.
Sport and recreation
![Ranau Sabah New-Sports-Stadium-02](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Ranau_Sabah_New-Sports-Stadium-02.jpg)
Ranau Sports Complex (KSR)
Ranau Sports Complex is located at an altitude of 780 m above the sea level and surrounded by hills. The chilly climate engulfing the sports complex makes the place very suitable as a training ground for all sports.
Ranau Recreation & Golf Club (RRGC)
RRGC located at Kilometre 1, Jalan Ranau - Tambunan
Tambunan ( ms, Pekan Tambunan) is the capital of the Tambunan District in the Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 35,667 in 2010. It is located 80 kilometres east of the state capital, Kota Kinabalu ...
, Ranau, Sabah
Sabah () is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indone ...
. 9 hole golf course with panoramic view of the imposing Mount Kinabalu
Mount Kinabalu ( ms, Gunung Kinabalu, Dusun language, Dusun: ''Gayo Ngaran or Nulu Nabalu'') is the highest mountain in Borneo and Malaysia. With an elevation of , it is List of islands by highest point, third-highest peak of an island on Eart ...
. With state of the rolling fairways and green are difficult to read, it could test the strategy of golfers. Some players say, it is a 9-hole golf course is the best in the state. The club was joined by some of the best clubs around. With a total length of 5.737 metres for men and 5.053 metres for lady. Course rating : Par 72. Slope Rating : 128 (Men) / 118 (Lady).
Culture
Ranau commands a special place in the minds of all Kadazan-Dusun because of the significance of Nunuk Ragang as the original home of their ancestors, before the dispersal and migration throughout Borneo. Nunuk Ragang
Nunuk Ragang is a site traditionally considered as the location of the original home of the ancestors of the Kadazan-Dusun natives who inhabit most of northern Borneo. The site, nearby a village named Tampias, is located at the intersection of ...
is in Tampios, at the confluence of the Liwagu Kowananan and Liwagu Kogibangan, draining into the Labuk River. A landmark building in the form of a banyan tree has been built at the supposed site of the longhouse housing the first Kadazan-Dusun settlers of Nunuk Ragang. Some Bobolians (or Bobohizan
A ''Bobohizan'' (Tangaa' Kadazan term) or ''Bobolian'' (Bundu Liwan Dusun term) is a high priestess, a ritual specialist and a spirit medium in Kadazan-Dusun pagan rites. The office of ''Bobohizan'' or ''Bobolian'', is also the chief preserver ...
in the ethnic Tangara Kadazan-Dusun dialect), keepers of the cultural and racial memories, opined that the ancestors came from "pogun Sina" or China Homeland. This is somewhat supported by the fact that certain words in Kadazan-Dusun share similarities with that of ethnic Taiwanese tribes.
A number of festive celebrations observed by Ranau people can be seen celebrated throughout the year, be it religious or cultural celebrations and among them, the major ones are ''Tadau Kaamatan
Kaamatan or Pesta Kaamatan is a form of harvest festival celebrated on 30 and 31 of May annually in the state of Sabah and Federal Territory of Labuan in Malaysia. It is normally celebrated by the ethnic Kadazan-Dusuns, as well as by other ...
'' (Harvest Festival), Eid ul-Fitr
, nickname = Festival of Breaking the Fast, Lesser Eid, Sweet Eid, Sugar Feast
, observedby = Muslims
, type = Islamic
, longtype = Islamic
, significance = Commemoration to mark the end of fasting in Ramadan
, dat ...
, Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
, and Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a New Year, new year on the traditional lunisolar calendar, lunisolar and solar Chinese calendar. In Sinophone, Chinese and other East Asian cultures, the festival is commonly r ...
.
''Tadau Kaamatan
Kaamatan or Pesta Kaamatan is a form of harvest festival celebrated on 30 and 31 of May annually in the state of Sabah and Federal Territory of Labuan in Malaysia. It is normally celebrated by the ethnic Kadazan-Dusuns, as well as by other ...
'' is an annual event celebrated by the Dusun people in Ranau district in the month of May although the exact date is subject to change each year but as with any district level Kaamatan celebration, the date precedes the Sabah state level Kaamatan celebration which falls on 30 and 31 May every year. However, at the village level, the Kaamatan may be celebrated as late as June or July depending on their own preferences.
Originally a ritualistic event, Kaamatan was usually marked by strict observance of animistic rituals and rites to be performed to appease the spirit of rice at the end of the harvesting season. Nevertheless, today, Kaamatan is more akin to Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden and ...
as the majority of Dusun people have converted to mainstream religion although some still practice the rituals and rites but rarely to be seen. Among the highlights of Kaamatan events which usually attract the most people are ''Sugandoi'' (singing competition) and ''Unduk Ngadau'' (cultural beauty queen pageant) while traditional sports competitions are also held.
During Eid ul-Fitr
, nickname = Festival of Breaking the Fast, Lesser Eid, Sweet Eid, Sugar Feast
, observedby = Muslims
, type = Islamic
, longtype = Islamic
, significance = Commemoration to mark the end of fasting in Ramadan
, dat ...
, open houses are the norm, with Ranau people, regardless of religion, visiting the houses of their Muslim relatives and friends to mark the celebration. Like many other Christians in Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
, Christmas is still being observed in a religious fashion where churches usually hold congregation throughout the Christmas week with the highlights on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation ...
and Christmas Mass
Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementar ...
. Carolling can also be seen done among the younger generations although they only visit houses where they are invited to carol. Open houses and Mass, usually by the Ranau Council of Churches where different Christians denominations celebrate together and by Christian politicians can also be seen.
Chinese New Year is celebrated mainly by the Chinese community and during the week of the celebration, one can hear and watch the Ranau Lion Dance F
Lion dance () is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture and other Asian countries in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume to bring good luck and fortune. The lion dance is usually performed during the Chinese New ...
team visiting Chinese peoples' houses throughout the Ranau town and its vicinities to perform the dance accompanied by its trademark musical instrument performance of drums, cymbals and gongs as well.
Other celebration includes the Good Friday
Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Hol ...
where one would normally see the Christians in the district going to church congregations during the Holy Week
Holy Week ( la, Hebdomada Sancta or , ; grc, Ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη Ἑβδομάς, translit=Hagia kai Megale Hebdomas, lit=Holy and Great Week) is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity. In Eastern Churches, w ...
with its culmination is on Good Friday
Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Hol ...
to Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday ( la, Sabbatum Sanctum), also known as Great and Holy Saturday (also Holy and Great Saturday), the Great Sabbath, Hallelujah Saturday (in Portugal and Brazil), Saturday of the Glory, Sabado de Gloria, and Black Saturday or Easter ...
and usually ends on Easter Sunday
Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the ''Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...
. Meanwhile, another religious celebration that can be observed here is the Eid al-Adha
Eid al-Adha () is the second and the larger of the two main holidays celebrated in Islam (the other being Eid al-Fitr). It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismail (Ishmael) as an act of obedience to Allah's co ...
.
Notable residents
;Government and politics
*Tan Sri Haji Abdul Ghani Gilong – Former Federal Minister of Sabah Affairs (June 1968 - May 1969), Federal Minister of Justice (5 May 1969 - September 1970), Federal Minister of Transport (September 1970 - 1974), Federal Minister of Works & Power, Transport & Utilities (1968–1978)
*The Late Datuk Mark Koding – Former Sabah Deputy Chief Minister-cum-Minister for Industrial & Rural Development (April 1985 - 1988). Founder President, AKAR (1988–1997)
*Tan Sri Kasitah Gaddam – Founder member and Vice-President, PBS (1985–1990). Appointed senator, Parliament of Malaysia (1999). Federal Minister of Land & Co-operative Development (1999–2004)
*Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Masidi Manjun – Sabah Minister of Housing and Local Government, Sabah Second Minister of Finance
*Datuk Dr. Ewon Ebin – Former Ranau MP, Former Federal Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (May 2013 - July 2015)
*Datuk Dr. Joachim Gunsalam – Deputy Chief Minister III of Sabah, Sabah Minister of Industrial Development
*using
*Datuk Abidin Madingkir –Kota Kinabalu
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = From top, left to right, bottom:Kota Kinabalu skyline, Wawasan intersection, Tun Mustapha Tower, Kota Kinabalu Coastal Highway, the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, the Wism ...
City Mayor (2011-2016),ADUN of Paginatan
*Datuk Matius Sator – Permanent Secretary to the Sabah Local Government and Housing Ministry (current)
*The Late Datuk Siringan Gubat
Datuk Siringan bin Gubat (28 November 1949 – 20 March 2018) was a Malaysian politician. He is the Minister for Resource Development and Information Technology in the state government of Sabah, and represents the seat of Paginatan in the Sabah ...
– Former Sabah Minister of Resource Development and Information Technology
*Dato' Sri Dr. Hasan bin Abdul Rahman – Former Director-General of Health (2011–2012)
;Sports
*Danny Kuilin, Saffrey Sumping – Malaysia's top mountain runners, 2010 Skyrunner World Series
The Skyrunner World Series is an annual international championship of skyrunning (high altitude endurance races) and the official International Skyrunning Federation (ISF) race circuit for mountain running. Each year the Skyrunner World Series pr ...
;Entertainment
*Nazrey Johani – Past member of Raihan
Raihan (derived from the Arabic word ''Rayḥān'' ( ar,
رَيـحَـان), "Fragrance of Heaven") is a Malaysian nasheed group originally composed of five members that became popular in Malaysia with the release of their debut album ''Pu ...
, a nasheed
A nasheed (Arabic: singular ', plural ', meaning: "chants") is a work of vocal music, partially coincident with hymns, that is either sung ''a cappella'' or with instruments, according to a particular style or tradition within Islam.
Nasheed ...
group
* Linda Nanuwil – Singer, first runner-up in Akademi Fantasia
''Akademi Fantasia'' (commonly abbreviated as ''AF'') is Malaysia's first reality television show in which a number of contestants called students compete for the winning title and a chance to start their career in the entertainment industry. ...
Season 2
* Siti Adira Suhaimi – Singer, first runner-up in Akademi Fantasia
''Akademi Fantasia'' (commonly abbreviated as ''AF'') is Malaysia's first reality television show in which a number of contestants called students compete for the winning title and a chance to start their career in the entertainment industry. ...
Season 8
Friendship district
* Longmen County
Longmen County, alternately romanized as Lungmoon, is a county of Guangdong, China, administered as part of the prefecture-level city of Huizhou. In 2004, Longmen County had a population of 320,596 residing in an area of .
Geography
The northe ...
, Huizhou
Huizhou ( zh, c= ) is a city in central-east Guangdong Province, China, forty-three miles north of Hong Kong. Huizhou borders the provincial capital of Guangzhou to the west, Shenzhen and Dongguan to the southwest, Shaoguan to the north, Heyua ...
, China (since 10 October 2011)
"龙门与马来西亚兰瑙县签署缔结友好县备忘录"
Longmen County News Centre. 11 October 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
Notes
;References
;Bibliography
*
*
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*
*
External links
*
Ranau District Council
*
Ranau District Office
Tourism
Desa Cattle Facebook Page
Kinabalu Pine Resort
Mount Kinabalu Heritage Resort & Spa
{{Districts of Malaysia