Good
Things Come in Small Packages - is a common saying. And… this reminds me of
Mabul. This small oval shaped island is located
at the south-eastern coast of the east Malaysian state of Sabah.
Yes,
Mabul is small - but the island is known to the world. Mabul Island is the main
gateway to the world renowned Sipadan Island. Located 15 km from Sipadan, Mabul
itself is well recognised as one of the best “muck diving” sites in the world.
Its unique marine life is arguably one of the richest single destinations for
exotic small marine life anywhere in the world. 
The
20-hectare island surfaces 5-10 meters above sea level and consists mostly of
flat ground. Surrounding it are sandy beaches and it is perched on the northwest
corner of a larger 2 square kilometer reef with nice scene of swaying coconut
trees and a pleasant water village.
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| A grandma with her grandchildren |
The
people are small too…No, they are not midgets…I mean they are not fat. Walking
around the fishermen village, I realised that the word “obesity” may not exist in
their life. Most of the people I met, be it men or women or children, are all
slim, but not skinny. I was told that, it is because of their diet which
basically is fish.
 |
| Fishermen Village |
Being
a first timer on the island, I can’t help noticing that the houses are
practically all small…compared to those in the traditional or fishermen
kampongs in West Malaysia. But, they certainly are not poor.
The fact is that life on the island is simple and self-sufficient. The sea out there is loaded with fresh seafood. There are sundry shops, a government-run primary school, a religious school, a mosque and a few popular stalls selling pisang goreng (banana fritters). But, where is the clinic?
I was told that there is no government clinic on the island and children are born at home. Thus, many parents here did not go through the process of getting an official birth certificate for their children. It seems that these children without necessary documents are not accepted into the government school. Thus, these “stateless children” attended an informal education centre started by Stanley Sie, who runs the SphereDivers Lodge.
The fact is that life on the island is simple and self-sufficient. The sea out there is loaded with fresh seafood. There are sundry shops, a government-run primary school, a religious school, a mosque and a few popular stalls selling pisang goreng (banana fritters). But, where is the clinic?
I was told that there is no government clinic on the island and children are born at home. Thus, many parents here did not go through the process of getting an official birth certificate for their children. It seems that these children without necessary documents are not accepted into the government school. Thus, these “stateless children” attended an informal education centre started by Stanley Sie, who runs the SphereDivers Lodge.
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| A lady selling satay |
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| Pisang goreng stall |
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| Preparing baits for fishing |
One
obvious thing you will notice is that there are a lot of children on the island
which has a population of about 3,000 people. Be it day or night, you will see
children wandering aimlessly roaming the street and the sea of Mabul.
My
observation says half the populations are children, but NO,. I was told that
about one-third of the populations are children below 14.
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| The sea is their playground. |
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| Selling crabs |
