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

Online Banking Security: Challenge Questions

Online banking is the most convenient channel to pay our monthly commitment rather than queuing up a long winding line at a bank CDMs. Normally if it is a pay day for most government servants in Malaysia. I don't know, but people choose night time.

I moved from a traditional method to a newer method which is the Online Banking. First, you need to create your login Username and Password. It comes with the setting of a number of security questions. Be careful...

I intended to transfer fund to somebody's account. I was challenged with a question that has not been asked for long. After the wrong attempt I was logged out by the system. An error message was displayed urging me to call the Service Centre. I was asked should I ever called the centre in the past and I said NEVER. A personal who was assisting me on the line told me to clear the matter at any bank counter of its branch. Because the system has to verify my voice!

The next day at 2.00 pm I went to the bank branch of where I had my account opened the first time. At the front counter I tried to explain my situation. Later a man officer asked me to login to their online banking system. I guess he just wanted to have a clear understanding of my problem. When the screen displayed some error message, he gave a thoughtful look but handed me a piece of paper. He wanted me to fill in my name, my IC number, and signature on the form. I was then led to a customer service counter. I need to wait for a while after I handed my form.

When it was my turn. I have to again explain my issue with the online banking. The officer asked for my IC and ATM card. When everything seems clear: bio metric verification says Thumbprint:PASS, I left the bank with a smile on my face.The officer reminded me to login on that very day (otherwise my account cannot be helped) using the PIN given.

When I reached home, it was the first thing I did. Huh? What's wrong? the system rejected my request to login into my account. Without hesitation I headed to the nearest bank branch (different branch).

I went through attempts to call the Customer Service Centre because it was the MUST do procedure. I need to verify myself about four times. The standard procedure when you called the customer service is you have to verify yourself.

The issue was that they could not release my account. I failed the voice verification. I later learnt from the officer that I have a shaky voice. Not sure of what it should relate to.

From one officer to another bank officer of higher ranking post I sought for assistance. And again I have to verify my self. Even though the officer seem to know each other well to the person speaking over the phone, he had to verify himself in some kind of codes. I guess it was a standard protocol. I then asked to login the bank system using the last password login attempt. Whooa! Magic. My online banking is active again.

I guess not all bank staff knows how their online banking system functions. At some point in the process, I was not satisfied with the way one of the bank staff attended to my problem. It was when I tried to login into the system it showed my username and caption. Of course it's there! But the staff kept telling me I had done mistakes such as entering wrong passwords. I tried to explain my situation but the staff didn't not seem to listen. It was like I didn't familiar to ICT even if it as simple as that one. Huh!...

Later, I read from the bank website that even if you have reset your online banking, your username and challenge questions don't change!

Accomodation in Tenom: Hotel Sri Perdana

I didn't plan to go back to my hometown early. But, my younger sister's mother-in-law passed away. I with 3-kids on tow attended the funeral service. I called a couple of hotels in Tenom to stay overnight but unfortunately they are already fully booked.

Only then, I managed to contact Hotel Sri Perdana and I was lucky that there was 1-room available. It is a Family Suite Room. Costing for RM 60 per night with hot shower and sitting on the same block with KFC Restaurant at the ground level, I am satisfied. But, I am only allowed to stay for one night because the next day is fully booked by members of the Chinese Business Conference (I learnt from the hotel staff).

Our room is a Family Suite Room. The room is spacious with 1-double bed + 1-single bed. It has attached bathroom with hot shower available. TV is also provided in the room but you cannot choose your favourite channel since it is centralized control. But no worry, I like the Jet Li movie they chose for us. Hahaha... The room is also provided with a cupboard and a dressing table. 3-towel and 3-hotel bar soap is provided for a complimentary stay. Not forgetting, our room is air-conditioned.

Coffee & Tea making facility is not available. But, okay, the coffee shop sits on the same block at the ground level. In fact, there are 3 coffee shops side-by-side in the same row. At 4.00 pm these coffee shops sell fresh baked 'pau' and you can have your afternoon tea/coffee. We ordered 4 tausa pau, 4 chicken pau and 4 glasses of hot Milo. And, that was nice!

At night, the town is very quiet. Most shops closed as early as 5.00 pm. Still, not a thing to worry since the two supermarket, Bestamart and Gmart, open until 9.00 pm. Plus the KFC Restaurant which is also closed late. There are also a couple of diners open late into the night for both Chinese restaurant and Muslim restaurant. I chose to have dinner at the Chinese restaurant... A 7-eleven outlet is at the opposite block; a bank kiosk is inside the premise. Tenom is a small town that you need not worry about getting lost! Trust me.

When you are in Tenom, be reminded to rise up early. The coffee shops open very early in the morning. At 5.30 am the Tenom folks who seek for 'mee goreng', 'chakui', 'saomai' and some other types of kuih like 'piang' would normally have their breakfast at the coffee shops. They are the bus operators who are likely the regular customers. And, if you wish to have breakfast there don't be late. The kuih and also fried noodles will be sold out at 7.00 am! Or worst at 6.30 am! Hahaha... sounds weird? Indeed, we are lucky to be there on time with only 4 pre-wrapped of mee goreng left! And it was only 6.55 am.

Well, if you would like to stay at Hotel Sri Perdana Tenom, ask for room facing to the Shell station. At least you are not facing the concrete wall!!!