Languages[edit]
The people of Tawau mainly speak Malay, with a distinct Sabahan creole.[49] The Malay language here are different from the Malay language in the west coast which resembles Brunei Malay.[50] In Tawau, the language had been influenced by the Indonesian language spoken by the Buginese, Florenese and Timorese.[43] As most Tawau Chinese are Hakka Chinese, Hakka Chinese is widely spoken. The east coast Bajau's language has similarities with the Sama language in the Philippines and has borrowed words from the Suluk language. The Bajau language on the east coast is different from the west coast Bajau, where the language has been influenced by Malayic languages from Brunei Malay.[51][52]
Economy[edit]
As of 1993, there were 40 timber-processing plants and a number of sawmills. Tawau's Port is a major export and import gateway for timber especially from North Kalimantan.[53][54] A barter trade has been formalised between East Kalimantan (now North Kalimantan) and Sabah with the creation of Tawau Barter Trade Association (BATS) in 1993. The association handles the cash-based trade of raw materials from Indonesia, but in recent years has focussed on timber industry.[53]Other than timber, since British rule ended exports have traditionally been spices, cocoa and tobacco.[55] Birds' nests are harvested at Baturong, Sengarung, Tepadung and Madai Caves by the Ida'an community.[56][57] Tawau is one of the top cocoa producers in Malaysia, and the world together with Ivory Coast, Ghana and Indonesia.[58] The town is the cocoa capital for both in Sabah and Malaysia.[59] Cocoa production is mostly concentrated in the interior, north of the town, while palm oil production is concentrated along the roads to Merotai, Brantian, Semporna and Kunak.[39] Both cocoa and palm oil are part of the large agriculture sector that has become the main income producer for the town.[60][61]
Like in Sandakan, people in Tawau have always relied on the sea for their sustenance. Every day, hundreds of deep sea trawlers and tuckboats can be seen at the Cowie Bay. In the sea also where the barter trade economy been used.[48] The Tawau marine zone are one of Sabah four marine zones, with the other been in Sandakan, Kudat and the west coast.[62] A great variety of high-grade fishes and all kinds of crustaceans were found in abundance in the sea and waterways around Tawau.[12] Prawn farming has become largest sea economic source for the district. The oldest and largest prawn farm were located on this area together with six frozen shrimp processing plants.[63][64]
Transportation[edit]
Most of the town's roads are state roads constructed and maintained by the state's Public Works Department. A program began in 2012 to upgrade the towns roads and increase the amount of public parking.[65] Most major internal roads are dual-carriageways. The only highway route from Tawau connects: Tawau – Semporna – Kunak – Lahad Datu – Sandakan (part of the Pan Borneo Highway)[66]
Regular bus services and taxis operate in the town. The town has long-distance, short-distance and local bus stations. The long-distance services connect Tawau to Lahad Datu, Sandakan, Telupid, Ranau, Simpang Sapi, Kundasang, Kota Kinabalu, Sipitang, Beaufort, Papar and Simpang Ranau.[67] The short-distance services connect to destinations including as Sandakan and Semporna.[68]
Tawau Airport (TA) (ICAO Code : WBKW) is the second largest airport in Sabah province, after Kota Kinabalu, and has flights linking the town mostly to domestic destinations. Destinations for the airport include Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and Kuala Lumpur. Flights by MASWings connect the airport to smaller towns or rural areas in East Malaysia, and internationally to Juwata International Airport in Tarakan, Indonesia. The airport opened in 2001 and as of 2012 handled almost one million passengers annually.[69] Prior to this the area was served by the Old Tawau Airport on North Street (Jalan Utara). The airport was opened in 1968 and was used for small aircraft such as the Fokker 50.[70] The runway was widened in the 1980s, allowing it to operate Boeing 737s. There was a fatal accident in 1995 when Malaysia Airlines Flight 2133, a Fokker 50, crashed due to pilot error on landing, leading to 34 fatalities. A Cessna 208 Caravan crashed on takeoff in 1995 and MAS Boeing 737-400 skidded off the runway in 2001, neither causing fatalities. The airport was closed when the new Tawau airport opened.[71]
There is a daily ferry service from northeastern Kalimantan to the town's sea port.[72] This route has been used for smuggling subsidised goods from the town to certain parts in Indonesia, especially southern Sebatik, by Indonesian smugglers as this area is highly dependent on Tawau.[73][74] Many Indonesians near the international border choose to seek a medical treatment in the town due to the lower cost and better facilities, compared to other Indonesian towns.[74]
Public Services[edit]
Tawau's court complex is on Dunlop Street.[75] It contains the High Court, Sessions Court, and the Magistrate Court.[76]Syariah Court is located at Abaca Street.[77] The district police headquarters is on Tanjung Batu Street,[78] and other police station are sited throughout the district including Wallace Bay, Bombalai, Bergosong, Kalabakan, Seri Indah and LTB Tawau.[79] Police substations (Pondok Polis) are found in Tass Bt. 17, Apas Parit, Merotai, Quin Hill, Balung Kokos, Titingan, Kinabutan and Burmas areas,[79] and the Tawau Prison is in the town centre.[80]
Tawau has one public hospital, four public health clinics, three child and mother health clinics, seven village clinics, one mobile clinic and two 1Malaysia clinics.[81][82] Tawau Hospital, on Tanjung Batu Street, is the town's main hospital and an important healthcare facility for patients from Semporna, Lahad Datu, Kunak, and Sandakan. Indonesian patients near the border area also frequently visit the hospital. Tawau Specialist Polyclinics (TSPC) is a walk-in healthcare clinic that sees patients from Tawau and surrounding areas as well as patients from neighbouring Philippines and Indonesia. TSPC has a range of medical specialists, a medical laboratory and radiology services.[74][83][84] The hospital has undergone a series of modernisations since 1990 with the construction of specialist clinics, Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD), new wards and operation theatres.[84] Tawau Specialist Hospital is the only private hospital in the town.[85] The Tawau Regional Library is one of three regional libraries in Sabah, the others are at Keningau and Sandakan. These libraries are operated by the Sabah State Library department.[86] Some schools, colleges, or universities have private libraries.[81]
There are many government or state schools in and around the town. Secondary schools include Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Kinabutan, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Jalan Apas, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Kabota, and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Pasir Putih.[87][88] The town has two private schools, called the Sabah Chinese High School (Sekolah Tinggi Cina Sabah) and Vision Secondary School (Sekolah Menengah Visi). Tawau has two of the three A-Level education centres in the state of Sabah—the Institute of Science and Management (ISM) and Maktab Rendah Sains Mara Tawau.[89][90] A teacher-training college called Tawau Teacher Training Institute is found in the town. For tertiary education the town has the Tawau Community College[91] and GIATMARA Tawau,[92] and campuses of two universities, Universiti Teknologi MARA[93] and Open University Malaysia.
See also: List of schools in Sabah
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