Settler

Sungai Manila palm oil estate is one of the pioneer palm oil scheme in Sabah’s re-settlement history. Firstly, implemented by the Department of Agriculture (DoA) in 1965, it was introduced during the ‘Minor and Major Agriculture Scheme’. The DoA has extended the palm oil area in Sungai Manila in 1968 before it was handed over to the SLDB management in 1969. Only 12 miles from the Sandakan town, the estate is located in one of the most prime areas in the East coast of Sabah

​Apas Balung palm oil estate in the Tawau District is one of the earliest, and largest re-settlement schemes in Sabah. For the people in Tawau, the Apas Balung Estate or area is known for its palm oil re-settlement schemes, especially for areas like Ranggu, Serudung, Gading, Cocos Islander and Tidong where re-settlements took place after Sabah’s independence in 1963. 

The Lormalong palm oil estate is one of the oldest re-settlement schemes in Sabah. Located at the East coast of Kunak District, it was officially opened in February 1968, but already initiated in 1962 by the ‘Residency Development scheme’. Firstly managed by the DoA in 1965, the mandate was given to the SLDB in 1969. 

The Pegagau oil palm estate was established by the Department of Agriculture (DoA) in 1966 at Semporna District. Originally the scheme was founded by Haji Mohd Noor Bin Othman a leader from the Bajau fishing community who had established a village in Pegagau in the 1950s. This village included about thirty families, and because of their interest in agriculture the government through the DoA allocated them land which was initially called Menteritip Village. 

​The Suan Lamba palm oil estate is one of the oldest re-settlement schemes in Sabah. It is located at the South of Sandakan town and separated by the bay on the Kinabatangan plain. Firstly introduced and managed by the Department of Agriculture in 1965 to improve the living conditions of the rural community, the programme involved a mass transmigration of the ‘Orang Sungai’ headed by the Sungai leader Pengiran Galpam Pengiran Digadung from the upstream of the Kinabatangan River into Suan Lamba.

​The Silabukan re-settlement scheme was first established in 1968 by the Department of Agriculture (DoA), it was purposely to provide a new settlement for the Segama people in Lahad Datu District whose livelihood was affected when the tobacco factory closed, also to provide a new shelter for the Dusun people who were affected by the floods from the Segama River with a total of 303 settlers. In 1969, the SLDB took over the mandate to develop the scheme with palm oil development on a ‘Turn-key’ basis. It was started by the Pembangunan Pertanian Silabukan (PPS) Sdn. Bhd.,

The Klias Estate palm oil estate is located in Beaufort District of Sabah. In 1964, this area known as the Klias Oil Palm Estate was managed by the Department of Agriculture (DoA), Beaufort District office. The management of the SLDB took over Klias Oil Palm Estate in 1969, started by establishing a seven hectare palm oil nursery in Melabu village.  The Klias Re-settlement Scheme was officially opened by the first Head of the State, Tun Pangiran Haji Ahmad Raffae in 1968.