North Borneo Train: Melalap The Final Station

In some parts of the interior of Sabah, train still serves as the main transport for people to get around. Just to name a few train main stops like Saliwangan, Halogilat, Rayoh, and Pangi along the Beaufort-Tenom route are the places which depend solely on train service. In the old days, the North Borneo Train spanned it service starting from Jesselton to Melalap as its final station.

According to history, the Tenom-Melalap route was opened in 1906. And was closed in 1970. But according to a local, Mr. Albert Rusing Lisiu, who had used the service to shuttle from Beaufort and Melalap, the termination of service was done in phases. The service termination to Melalap was started in 1970 and the station was only completely closed in 1972. The last Station Master of Melalap Railway Station was Mr. Aloysius Soliat. Some old folks could still remember some locals who worked as porter such as Mr. Sasanggung Gomboon from Kg. Oloson, Melalap and another man from Pensiangan known as Mr. Agumos. The later was confirmed by Madam Baisah Umbol. Well, thanks to them for the information!

In the mid to late 1970s, the railway was still very new then! No wonder I had a feeling that a train might passed by when we took the railway bridges path as an alternative road to school. We did that during the rainy season when the river water level rose up and the current were very strong. Normally, I and a group of 6 or 8 school children went to school on foot passing through rivulet, stream and some through Sg. Malutut which has a fast and strong current. Our normal path was actually made up of buffalo trail at the grazing land!

Melalap Railway Station (2012): Once the Final Station of North Borneo Train.

Picture taken on 09 October 2012 by Christian Eddy Albert

Back in 1975 to 1976, the station was used as Melalap Police Station. It served as a quarters at the same time. If I am not mistaken a policeman, Sergeant Tangulun, and his family lived there during the period. I was in Primary One then. I remember studying in the same class with the policeman son, Kumbang Tangulun, until Primary Two at a school nearby, SK Melalap. Later, when the police base quarters construction was completely set up, the  station no longer served as a police station. I didn't quite remember when another family moved in there. But according to a State Native Chief Representative of Kg. Kasiai, a village nearby, a man who worked with the Sabah Health Department, Mr. Ambrose Gohol, and his family occupied the place after the policeman family and stayed there for some years. Thanks to Mr. Mujim Masusun for helping me remembering the days. As he laughed, he told me that he used to accompany an older cousin to go the place just to have a glimpse look or exchanges of smile to one of Mr. Ambrose's daughter, Emma. Of course I knew Emma! Where was I? I had lived there until Primary Six before continuing my Secondary School study in the Peninsular of Malaysia. I must have missed my memory somewhere among the clouds. Hahaha...

Melalap Railway Station (2012): Located near Melalap shophouses. 

Picture taken on 09 October 2012 by Christian Eddy Albert

A row of shophouses building is located nearby. The building is as old as the railway station. Even though it has aged but still home a couple of families who run the sundry shops. The are two shops still operating. One is long closed in the late 1990s.

Melalap shophouses: Once and the future shop from the Colonial Era. 

Picture taken on 09 October 2012 by Christian Eddy Albert

In the past, there used to be a Tamu (market) on Saturdays. The town folks came out with farm produce to sell in exchange for a packet of sugar and coffee. Fish mongers from Tenom came up with salt water fish. It was the day that everyone waited for.

During that time, RM 1.00 for a Land Rover ride from Melalap to Tenom was considered too much to afford. The Tamu then slowly forgotten as most of the new generation work at the government offices in Tenom. Who would want to buy at the Tamu when they could get supplies from Tenom as they wish for daily? Soon after, Melalap has turned out to be a quiet town.

Melalap folks getting household needs from the two shops.    

Picture taken on 09 October 2012 by Christian Eddy Albert

The price of goods sold here are quite high compared to those in Tenom. But people have no choice. Sometimes in the mid month there are one or two things of kitchen supplies that run out of stock like salt, sugar, coffee, and detergent as well. And the folks from the surrounding villages get their supplies here.

Old Tree: Believed to have been there since the opening of Melalap Town.      

 Picture taken on 09 October 2012 by Christian Eddy Albert

It has been some tradition from the past to plant trees to officiating an opening ceremony. Melalap has an old tree at the Tamu ground similar to those trees in front of the Tenom Railway Station. Some says that the tree has been there long before anyone could exactly tell when it was planted there. But I believed the tree is as old as Melalap town.

The left-wing view: Worn out condition.        

Picture taken on 09 October 2012 by Christian Eddy Albert

The right-wing: Also in worn out condition.     

Picture taken on 09 October 2012 by Christian Eddy Albert

And there was once the reputation of Melalap as The Final Railway Station of North Borneo Train.

Those were the days ... 

Picture taken on 09 October 2012 by Christian Eddy Albert