The people of Borneo were not in the habit of keeping written records and as such, the earliest history is known through verbal tales passed down through the generations via songs and stories, supported by archelogical finds. So, for instance, it was discovered that as early as 640 AD, Chinese traders had plied the coast of Borneo for, presumably, spice trading. Based on relics found, it was established that the Chinese traders had used their ceramic wares for trading.
Back then, Borneo was centered around the Sultanage of Brunei. Ever since that early history, many foreigners had their fingers in the Borneo pie. First the Chinese, several centuries later the Spaniards, the Dutch, a few chapters with the Phillipines and in the 1800’s, briefly, even the Americans. The Americans sold a 10 year lease to an Austrian based in Hong Kong, but eventually ’owenership’ fell to the British who established the North Borneo Chartered Company, who in turn established a trading post and consequently set on fire the development of North Borneo, as it came to be known.
But, as early as the 1940’s, Kota Kinabalu, then called Jessleton, was little more than a few traditional bamboo & timber houses, built on stilts over the shallow waters of the tranquil bay. Restored photos from this era can be seen in the Magellan Club area of the Magellan Sutera at the Sutera Harbour Resort, as well as on the wall at the recently refurbished public jetty, Jesstleton Point.
At this time, it was also not the capital of Sabah, and only later replaced Sandakan as the state capital. During the Second World War, Sabah was invaded by the Japanese, the British put up minimal resistance and Kota Kinabalu was, nevertheless, virually flattened by Allied bombers and the rest was burnt to the ground in the retreat of the Allieds Only 3 structures remain today. A Japenese war memorial can be found towards Luyang, frequently visited by Japanese, whilst an Australian War Memorial is located some hours drive away in Kundasang. Other traces of the occupation is evidnent in the Japanese style of hot baths found at Pouring Hot Springs.
After the War, Kota Kinabalu was rebuilt into the fairly modern city it is today, renamed and around 1949 become the state capital. Sabah was only officially named Sabah in the 1960’s when they joined the Malaysian Federation of States, and if you seek, you will find there are many more historical references to Sabah and her inhabitants, the Sabahans.
Today, Kota Kinabalu is rapidly, and at times, rampantly, developing and is the sleepy town of yesteryear no more.
source: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g298307-s203/Kota-Kinabalu:Malaysia:History.html
