Kundasang

Kundasang
Kundasang
Hill Station
	Rows of shoplots in Kundasang town.
	Location of Kundasang Town in Ranau District
	Kundasang
	Coordinates: 5°59′N 116°34′E / 5.983°N 116.567°E
Country	Malaysia
State	Sabah
Division	West Coast
District	Ranau
Subdistrict	Kundasang Ranau Subdistrict ; 1. Nalapak ; 2. Paginatan ; 3. Kundasang ; 4. Liwagu ; 5. Lipasu ; 6. Tagudon ; 7. Karanaan ; 8. Lohan ; 9. Bongkud ; 10. Timbua ; 11. Malinsau ; 12. Kaingaran ; 13. Randagong ;
Government
• DUN	Yang Berhormat Datuk Dr. Joachim Gunsalam (GRS-PBS) (Kundasang)
Elevation	1,900 m (6,200 ft)
Highest elevation	4,095 m (13,435 ft)
Population (2023)
• Total	~10,000
Time zone	GMT +08:00
Weekly Market	Friday

Kundasang is a hill station in the district of Ranau in Sabah, Malaysia that lies along the bank of Kundasang Valley within the Crocker Range, and also neighboring the town of Pekan Nabalu. It is located about 6 kilometres away from Kinabalu National Park, 15.6 kilometres from Ranau town and is renowned for its vegetable market which is open seven days a week. It is the closest town to Mount Kinabalu and has a panoramic view of the mountain. It is populated mainly by the native Dusun and a small population of Chinese people. Almost all the shops are operated by locals.

At an elevation of almost 1,900 m (6,200 ft), it is the highest settlement in Malaysia. Kundasang is also famously known as the New Zealand of Borneo for its unique mountainous geographical terrain almost similar to New Zealand.

Kundasang War Memorial and Gardens

The memorial is on a hill immediately behind the vegetable wholesale stalls. Major G. S. Carter, D.S.O. (Toby Carter) a New Zealander employed with Shell Oil Co. (Borneo) initiated the building of the Memorial in 1962, together with the launching of Kinabalu Park to commemorate the 2,428 Australian and British prisoners who died during World War II at the Sandakan POW Camp, and the casualties of the three infamous forced death marches from Sandakan to Ranau. It also serves as a tribute to the many local people who risked their lives while aiding the prisoners of war. Only six Australians survived in this tragedy to tell their horror and there were no English survivors.

The fort-like Memorial was designed by J.C. Robinson, a local architect. It has four interlocking but separate gardens to represent the homelands of those who died: an Australian Garden, a formal English Garden of roses, a Borneo Garden with wild flowers of Kinabalu and at the top level is the 'Contemplation Garden' with a reflection pool and pergola.

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, the Memorial was restored in 2005 by Mr Sevee Charuruks and with his own personal funds. No government funding was available during the major restoration project in 2005. However, years later help came from the Australian Government in the form of several grants.

The Australian Government Grants aided in:

The building of a perimeter fence around the Memorial. The Estimated grant: RM120,000
The building of the Australian Memorial Hall to enable visitors to view WW2 Documentary Films. The Estimated grant: RM350,000
The Demolishment & Re-construction of concrete wall of Contemplation Garden. The Estimated grant: RM120,000
The Construction of Confrontation Memorial. The Estimated grant: RM14,000

In recognition of his hard work and commitment to the Kundasang War Memorial, in 2007 Queen Elizabeth II awarded Mr Charuruks the MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire). Later in 2012, the Australian Government awarded Mr Charuruks the Member of the Order of Australia (AM).

The Gardens have been replanted with flowers, particularly roses and rare orchids that include the Paphiopedilum rothschildianum (Rothschild's slipper orchid). The Memorial is open to all visitors not only to view the gardens but to remember those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of others.

ANZAC Memorial Services and private Memorial Services are welcomed with prior arrangements. The Memorial is open to visitors with minimal entrance fees charged. An access road with ramp allows easy access for wheelchair users.

Vegetable wholesale stalls

Beside the main road vegetables wholesalers can be found in a long row of wooden stalls (Malay: gerai). Bulk buyers come from all over the state of Sabah, Sarawak and even Brunei for the fresh harvest. Pick up trucks are seen laden fully with harvest from the farms nearby the valley and delivered to the stalls. Passing tourists and travellers also stop by the road for shopping at a good bargain with the stalls are open seven days a week.

Village

There are several small village fractions found in 'Kundasang among them;

No	Village Name
1	Kundasang Town(Center)
2	Kampung Lembah Permai
3	Kampung Cinta Mata
4	Kampung Kauluan
5	Kampung Mesilou
6	Kampung Mentoki
7	Kampung Bambangan
8	Kampung Desa Aman
9	Kampung Kinasaraban
10	Kampung Bundu Tuhan
11	Kampung Dumpiring
12	Kampung Desa Sunyi (Kundasang Lama)
13	Kampung Mohimboyon
14	Kampung Nosorob
15	Kampung Pinousok
16	Kampung Giman
17	Kampung Sinisian
18	Kampung Ratau
19	Kampung Karanaan
20	Kampung Kituntul
21	Kampung Lapai
22	Kampung Sinar
23	Kampung Liwagu
24	Kampung Muhibah
25	Kampung Kinandusan
26	Kampung Kiwawoi
27	Kampung Waang
28	Kampung Semuruh
29	Kampung Sosondoton
30	Kampung Tudan
31	Kampung Tinatasan

School

There are 13 Elementary School and 2 Secondary School in Kundasang, Which is:


No	School Name	Type of School
1	SK Kundasang	Elementary
2	SK Mesilou
3	SK Don Bosco
4	SK Bundu Tuhan
5	SK Kinasaraban
7	SK Kauluan
8	SK Lipasu
9	SK Mohimboyon
10	SK Waang
11	SK Pahu Himbaan
12	SK Tagudon Lama
13	SK Pinausuk
14	SMK Kundasang	Secondary
15	SMK Bundu Tuhan	Secondary

Golf course

Mount Kinabalu Golf Club is located near the border of Kinabalu National Park at an altitude of approximately 2000 metres above sea level.

External links