The Journey of Faith Among Chinese Migrants

The movie "Dear You" has swept across China and Southeast Asia like a storm. Everywhere I went, almost everyone I met seemed to be talking about it.

On further reflection on the first Chinese migration to foreign lands, two things stood out as especially important to them: preserving the Chinese language and maintaining the religious traditions embraced by their families. This explains why, in nearly every place where early Chinese settlers established communities, one can find temples and ancestral worship halls. For those who had converted to Christianity, the pattern was similar. They began by gathering for Sunday worship in homes, and as their communities grew, they built church buildings to accommodate regular congregational worship.

By coincidence, I was recently invited to share the history of BCCM with a group of young lower secondary school students on 28 June 2026. It was a meaningful opportunity to reflect on how faith, migration, and heritage have shaped the church’s identity over the generations.

BCCM’s origins can be traced back to the first group of Chinese Christian migrants who arrived from Guangdong, China in 1882 to North Borneo, a territory later known as Sabah following the formation of Malaysia. These early migrants were brought in primarily to help open up vast tracts of land and dense jungles for agricultural development, including rubber plantations, coconut estates, and coffee farms across various parts of North Borneo.

Among these pioneers were Christian believers who had come to faith in China through the ministry of missionaries from Basel, Switzerland. Though they had left their homeland behind, they carried with them something far more enduring - their faith. In this unfamiliar new land, they sought to preserve and nurture that spiritual inheritance by establishing a worshipping community of their own.

In honor of the missionaries and the spiritual legacy through which they had received the Gospel, they named their church the “Basel Church.” What began as a small community of migrant believers would, over time, grow into a vibrant and enduring church, rooted in faith and committed to serving future generations.

Initially, the church was a Chinese Hakka-speaking congregation, serving the linguistic and cultural needs of its earliest members. Over the years, however, it evolved significantly. As Sabah’s demographic landscape changed, the church adapted to serve a broader and more diverse population. Today, BCCM has become a multilingual church community, ministering not only in Hakka and Chinese Mandarin but also to English-speaking and Bahasa Malaysia-speaking members.

Its journey reflects a broader story of migration, faith, and adaptation - how a community rooted in heritage can remain faithful to its origins while growing to embrace new generations and cultures.

Strengthening Bonds Through Celebration Meals

On 17.03.2026, we hosted a Ramadan buffet dinner for our staff at the newest hotel in town, Sheraton. This took place just one and a half months after our pre-Chinese New Year celebration dinner (Read here). As far as I can recall, organising lunch or dinner gatherings during major festive occasions - such as Chinese New Year, Christmas, and Ramadan - has long been an annual practice (Read here).

In a culturally diverse setting like Sabah, celebrating different festivals together has proven to be both meaningful and impactful. Such occasions foster unity, boost morale, and help staff feel valued and appreciated. 

Staff who attended and group photo taken outside the hotel after the meal. My wife and I are not in photo because we left earlier.

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Two days later, on 19.03.2026, we attended another Ramadan buffet, this time at Le Méridien. This gathering was made possible through the generosity of a church friend, who invited some of her cell group members and other church friends to join in the celebration.

Surprisingly, the dish that drew the longest queue was the Gearbox Soup, a popular and hearty preparation made from large cow leg bones, particularly the knee or shank. The name “gearbox” comes from the resemblance of the bone to a car’s gear stick or mechanical component, giving the dish a distinctive identity.

The main attraction of this gearbox soup lies in its rich, deeply flavoured broth and thick, collagen-rich texture. The highlight, however, is the marrow itself, which diners like us enjoyed by using a straw to extract it directly from the bone, savouring its creamy and somewhat peculiar taste.

Persistent Turbulence of Sabah Politics - From 1963 to 2025

November 2025 drew to a close with a major shift in the Sabah State Election, which saw significant losses for several West Malaysian–based political parties. All eight DAP candidates were defeated. Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) fielded 12 candidates and won one seat. Barisan Nasional (BN) contested 45 seats and secured six victories.

In the midst of the campaign, United Progressive Kinabalu Organization (UPKO) president Ewon Benedick resigned from the Federal cabinet just days before polling, following concerns over the Federal Cabinet’s position on the 40% special grant claim that had recently been affirmed by a court ruling in a suit brought by the Sabah Law Society. He also voiced his view that the new Sabah state cabinet should be composed solely of representatives from Sabah-based parties. Ultimately, however, he accepted a ministerial post in the new administration, which includes members from PH and BN. These developments have led many observers to question how the new cabinet will balance expectations of accountability, consistency and public confidence moving forward.

Another piece of puzzling political news involved STAR president Jeffrey Kitingan. Although STAR contested forty seats, the party managed to win only two. After learning that one of its two elected assemblymen - the representative for Bingkor - had been appointed as an Assistant Minister by the Chief Minister, Jeffrey Kitingan announced that STAR would remain in the opposition bloc while simultaneously allowing his party member to retain the Assistant Minister post. This contradictory stance has raised questions about political coherence and the ethical principles guiding the party’s decisions.

With such inconsistencies, many are left wondering whether a long-term culture of integrity and good governance can truly take root under the prevailing political mindset.

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Sabah politics has never been short of drama, intrigue and calamity. In fact, it has experienced some of the most dramatic and turbulent political shifts in Malaysia since the nation’s formation in 1963.

USNO, which had governed Sabah since 1963, was defeated in the 1976 state election by the newly formed BERJAYA party. Berjaya secured 28 seats, while USNO won 20, ending more than a decade of USNO’s political dominance. After years of mounting public dissatisfaction over corruption, patronage networks, and uneven development under USNO’s rule, Berjaya campaigned on a platform centred on reform, clean governance and greater inclusivity - promising to restore integrity, efficiency and progress to the state.

However, the new administration was struck by tragedy just two months later. On 6 June 1976, several key members of Berjaya’s freshly appointed cabinet, including Chief Minister Tun Fuad Stephens were killed in the Double Six plane crash. The sudden loss of the state's top leadership not only shocked Sabah but also altered the course of its political and developmental trajectory.

To this day, many still wonder how different Sabah’s future might have been had that disaster never occurred.

Nine years later in 1985, Berjaya itself was toppled by another newly formed party: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS). In that election, PBS won 25 seats, Berjaya only 6, and USNO 16. The narrow PBS majority immediately triggered political tension. What followed was one of the most unsettling episodes in Sabah’s modern history.

Discontent quickly escalated into street riots, later known as the “Silent Riot.” The unrest involved bombings, arson, clashes between groups and widespread civil disorder, particularly in Kota Kinabalu, but also in Tawau and Sandakan. Reports described mobs setting fire to vehicles and shoplots, confronting police officers and causing chaos across the city. The situation became so severe that the authorities were forced to impose a dusk-to-dawn curfew to restore order. That incident was a dark chapter of Sabah.

I personally witnessed part of this turmoil firsthand. At the time the riot broke out in April 1985, my office was located on one of the upper floors of one of the three tower blocks of Wisma Tun Fuad Stephens, overlooking Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman. I was at my desk when I saw agitators beginning to overturn and burn cars below. Moments later, management instructed us to evacuate immediately and return home. It was a frightening and unforgettable moment - one that left a permanent black mark on Sabah’s political memory.

My office was located on one of the upper floors of the right tower of Wisma Tun Fuad Stephens, giving me a clear view of the unfolding chaos. From there, I could see the rioters confronting the police before they surged down Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, beginning their rampage.

The above three photos kept in my album were taken at Karamunsing area next to Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman after the curfew was lifted.

In the 1994 state election, PBS once again secured 25 out of 48 seats and Joseph Pairin Kitingan was duly appointed Chief Minister. However, within just two weeks, a wave of defections among PBS assemblymen caused the government to lose its majority. The administration collapsed almost overnight, prompting the Head of State (TYT) to invite Barisan Nasional (BN) - a West Malaysia political alliance, with UMNO as its central pillar, to form the new government. This episode remains one of Malaysia’s most cited examples of how political defections can overturn the electorate’s expressed will.

From that point until 2018 - a span of 24 years - the state government was dominated by BN, which won the subsequent state elections in 1999, 2004, 2008 and 2013. In the 2018 election, a newly formed Sabah-based party, Parti Warisan Sabah (WARISAN), allied with national opposition coalitions, won 29 seats. The WARISAN-led coalition subsequently formed the state government under Shafie Apdal. Following later political realignments, the coalition Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) emerged victorious in the next election, securing 38 of 73 seats and assuming government leadership, while WARISAN held 32 seats as the opposition.

In the most recent election, many voters had hoped for a return to governance led by local Sabah-based parties, rather than coalitions largely directed from Peninsular Malaysia. However, that anticipated transformation did not materialize.

VDNKh Complex, Moscow

After leaving Izmailovo Kremlin and before heading to the Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics, we made a brief stop at the VDNKh Complex. More than just an exhibition centre, VDNKh feels like a vast open-air park, complete with landscaped gardens, wide walkways, decorative fountains and monumental pavilions. Passing through the Main Entrance and the Central Pavilion, we were greeted by the imposing statue of Lenin that dominates the central avenue.

Front of the Pavilion.

Rear of the Pavilion.

Without saying much about the imposing Lenin monument at the front, our guide proceeded to lead us further in to one of VDNKh’s most iconic highlights - the Friendship of Peoples Fountain (also known as the Friendship of Nations Fountain). For many visitors, it is one of the most striking and symbolic sights in Russia. Designed in the early 1950s, the fountain celebrates the unity of the Soviet republics. Sixteen (16) gilded bronze maidens stand proudly around a golden sheaf of wheat, each figure dressed in the national costume of her republic: Russia, Armenia, Ukraine, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Lithuania, Latvia, Tajikistan, Estonia, Turkmenistan, Moldova, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan. The sixteenth, representing the Karelo-Finnish SSR, was later dissolved and merged back into Russia in 1956.

The fountain’s grand scale is equally impressive. Its red-granite basin is powered by eight pumps circulating thousands of liters of water, feeding some 800 jets that create dazzling, ever-changing displays. Both a feat of engineering and a work of art, the fountain embodied the Soviet ideal of unity and shared identity. 

Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union on 26.12.1991 - nearly 34 years ago - the former republics have all declared independence as sovereign nations. The Friendship of Nations Fountain, once a proud emblem of unity among the fifteen republics, now stands as a nostalgic reminder of an era long past. Though the political landscape has changed, the fountain endures as an unforgettable symbol of the Soviet dream and remains one of Moscow’s most striking and photogenic landmarks.

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Looking at the sixteen maidens at the Fountain, I couldn’t help but reflect on the formation of my own country. On 16.09.1963, four distinct entities - Malaya, Singapore, Sabah, and Sarawak - came together to form Malaysia. Yet, less than two years later, on 09.08.1965, Singapore officially separated from the federation. Instead of preserving the original framework of three equal partners, Sabah and Sarawak were subsequently reduced in status, reclassified as merely two of the thirteen states within Malaysia. The other eleven states had already formed part of Malaya, and this maneuver fundamentally altered the balance envisioned at the federation’s birth.

In terms of resource sharing and political recognition, Sabah and Sarawak have since had to contend with being treated as two of thirteen rather than as equal founding partners. To this day, the struggle to restore the rightful position of Sabah and Sarawak under the Malaysia Agreement of 1963 (MA63) continues. Yet, the journey remains unfinished, with no clear light at the end of the tunnel - only an enduring hope for fairness and recognition.

Politics and Divine Intervention

Members of the BCCM KK Benevolence Committee have finally shared the photographs of the newly upgraded access road leading from Jalan Tuaran to the BCCM KK Cemetery which was completed on 04.09.2025. This time, the road has been resurfaced with bitumen and enhanced with clear road markings - making it smoother, safer and more accessible for all.

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Before (left photos) and After the Upgrading Work (right photos).

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Securing the government’s intervention to improve and upgrade the access road has been a long and arduous journey. The latest push began on 22 April 2023, when we successfully invited MP Mustapha Sakmud, the Member of Parliament for Sepanggar cum Deputy Minister of Higher Education Malaysia, to personally inspect the site and consider allocating funds for the proposed upgrading works. Following his visit, a formal application - complete with an engineering design plan, technical details prepared by our consultancy and cost estimates - was duly submitted to his office.

This application was not our first attempt. Over the years, we had made numerous appeals to local state assemblymen and members of parliament for assistance. One who had rendered some help was YB Yee Moh Chai (State Assemblyman for Api-Api from 1994 - 2013), but unfortunately, the repairs carried out under such initiatives were piecemeal and cosmetic. The works were often done without adherence to proper road construction specifications, serving more as a gesture to “please and appease” rather than a sincere attempt to resolve the problem. The "repaired" road soon after fell into disrepair.

After MP Mustapha’s site visit, it was later discovered that the road does not, in fact, fall under the Sepanggar constituency. Responsibility was then referred to MP Chan Foong Hin, the Member of Parliament for Kota Kinabalu cum Deputy Minister of Plantation & Commodities Malaysia, for further action.

Arrival of MP Mustapha Sakmud to site
on 22.04.23.

Briefing MP Mustapha Sakmud about the 

proposed access road upgrading works.

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Upgrading work finally started on 25.06.2025 and completed on 04.09.2025 - almost two and half years since we liaised with the authority for the proposed upgrading works!

Group photo just before commencement of
work on 25.06.25.

Group photo taken during the joint site inspection 

on 12.09.2025 following the final completion of 

the works, joined by YB MP Chan Foong Hin 

(in yellow T-shirt).

In appreciation of the valuable assistance extended by YB MP Chan Foong Hin, he and his team were invited to a luncheon at a local restaurant on 12.09.2025. The gathering, held immediately after the joint site inspection organized by the Benevolence Committee of BCCM KK, served as a meaningful occasion for fellowship and gratitude. Regrettably, I was unable to attend the luncheon as I was away on a tour to Russia at the time.

In Sabah, there has long been a common perception that the period leading up to an election is the most opportune time to seek assistance from the authorities through politicians, particularly for the implementation of small community projects. Sabah state election is scheduled to be held not later than the end of the year. Hence, the recently completed access road, which now serves five cemeteries under the care of both the churches and the Chinese association, stands as a timely example. It certainly provides a strong campaign boost for the incumbent candidate.

Yet, one cannot ignore the deeper truth - that the success of such an initiative depends not only on political timing but also, on a touch of divine intervention.

The Oath Stone in Keningau

Besides reconnecting with Edward, my wedding car driver (Read here), another long-awaited item on my list was to visit the iconic Keningau Oath Stone.

The Oath Stone was formally unveiled on 31 August 1964 at the old Keningau District Office by the Federal Labour Minister, Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam, in the presence of key dignitaries including Chief Minister Fuad Stephens and G.S. Sundang. To solemnize the occasion, a maningolig ritual - conducted by a bobolian (traditional priest) - was performed.

The idea of the Oath Stone was born from early resistance among Sabah’s traditional leaders, the Orang Kaya-Kaya, who feared that the state’s rights might be eroded upon joining Malaysia. The stone thus became a physical and symbolic pledge between Sabah’s interior communities and the federal government: in exchange for loyalty to Malaysia, the government guaranteed to safeguard the state’s unique rights.

Its plaque, engraved in Malay script, declares three key assurances:

1. Freedom of religion in Sabah.
2. The Government of Sabah holds authority over land in Sabah.
3. Native customs and traditions will be respected and upheld by the Government.

Over time, the stone endured tampering - most controversially, the removal of the words “Kerajaan Malaysia Jamin” (“The Government of Malaysia guarantees”). This sparked public outrage, and in 2015, the original plaque was recovered. By 2018, the Oath Stone was relocated to the Keningau Heritage Museum, with its missing words restored, re-establishing it as an important heritage landmark.

After our meet-up with Edward, we drove to the Keningau Heritage Museum to see the Oath Stone in person - a silent witness to Sabah’s promises, struggles and enduring identity. Standing there, I felt a quiet weight in the air, as if the stone still carried the voices of those leaders who once fought to ensure these rights. It wasn’t just a monument - it was a reminder that history lives on, not only in books and archives, but in the stones that have seen it all.

Proclamation Message by Tunku Abdul Rahman, 1st Prime
Minister of Malaysia on the formation of Malaysia in September 1963.

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Sadly, some of these declared assurances were eroded over the years. On religion, the original Sabah (North Borneo) Constitution did not declare a state religion. In fact, under Point 1 of the 20-Point Agreement, “there should be no State religion in North Borneo (now Sabah), and the provisions relating to Islam in the present Constitution of Malaya should not apply to North Borneo.”

However, this changed a decade later. In 1973, under the administration of Chief Minister Tun Mustapha Harun, the Sabah State Legislative Assembly passed an amendment to the State Constitution which declared that: “Islam is the religion of the State; but other religions may be practiced in peace and harmony in any part of the State.”

This shift - from a secular framework to having Islam as the official state religion - marked a significant departure from Sabah’s constitutional founding commitments.

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Sabah first Cabinet in 1963.
G.S Sundang was the Deputy Chief Minister cum Minister of Health.
He is seated in front row at right

G.S. Sundang, the Deputy Chief Minister cum Minister of Health in the First Cabinet of Sabah in 1963 was a prominent traditional chief and political leader in Sabah who played a key role in the events leading up to the creation of the Oath Stone. He co-founded the United Pasok Momogun Organisation (UPMO) in early 1962, following a split from United National Kadazan Organisation (UNKO), aiming to safeguard the interests of the Kadazan-Dusun-Murut communities.

Initially, he opposed the rushed formation of Malaysia, fearing that Sabah’s autonomy would be undermined. He even submitted a petition to the UN and later proceeded with a symbolic "ritual agreement" by proposing the Oath Stone as a solemn, binding promise.

Eventually, he participated in the delegation signing the Malaysia Agreement in London on 9 July 1963 and served in key political roles, including as Sabah's Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Health.

Culturally, Sundang was a staunch defender of ethnic identity. He resisted attempts to merge the Dusun and Kadazan under a single name, arguing that the Dusun people should maintain their distinct identity. However, in the late 1990s, this distinction was officially set aside when the Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA), under the leadership of its president, Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan (also former Chief Minister of Sabah), adopted the combined term Kadazandusun. The move was intended to resolve the decades-long debate over whether Kadazan and Dusun were separate groups or part of a shared cultural-linguistic heritage.

By around 2000, Kadazandusun was formally recognized in official government usage, appearing in census categories and widely used in cultural celebrations, notably the Kaamatan Festival. While this unification achieved a sense of inclusivity for some, it also marked the closing of a chapter in Sundang’s vision for distinct ethnic preservation.

Preserving Lion and Dragon Dance Tradition in CNY

I remember talking about preservation of the performance of unicorn and lion troupes during CNY way back in 2013 (Read here). Over the years, with less and less Chinese and more and more non-Chinese involved in keeping this tradition "alive", the question was - how long could this tradition be maintained!

It turns out that such worry in fact is unnecessary. CNY in 2025 saw a very significant increase in both the number and frequency of the performances of  lion and dragon troupes. Literally from CNY Eve to Chap Goh Mei, the final day of CNY.

In the past, martial arts demonstration and lion or unicorn dance were part and parcel of a typical performance (Read here). But these days, it appears that most troupes only devote or concentrate on the dance and less demonstration of martial arts by troupes members. Whether it's because of the shortage of martial arts instructors or less troupe members are interested in this demanding skill, I cannot be sure!

But the chance for these troupes to collect angpows in the festive season undoubtedly is something they find it difficult to resist! Still money is probably the key incentive to keep something going :)

02.02.2025 (Day 5) at Gaya Street Sunday Market.

05.02.2025 (Day 8) at Wisma SHELL.

08.02.2025 (Day 11) at Borneo Sports Arena.

10.02.2025 (Day 13) at Damai Plaza.