21/01/2026

WEDNESDAY | JAN 21, 2026

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Sabah cave museum houses historical treasures

KINABATANGAN: The Agop Batu Tulug limestone cave, perched 39m above ground, is not only a historical site housing ancient belian (ironwood) coffins, but has also emerged as one of the tourism products in this district. Local communities believe the Agop Batu Tulug cave, about 35km from the Kinabatangan district town, served as the final refuge of the Orang Sungai ethnic community. The cave, located on the banks of the Kinabatangan River, has been developed into a historical museum. “Agop” in the Orang Sungai language means cave while “tulug” refers to a bed, signifying a final resting place. The uniqueness of the museum lies in the discovery of more than 125 coffins made of ironwood, which are neatly arranged in three main caves, namely Agop Sawat (Upper Cave), Agop Litanga (Middle Cave) and Agop Suriba (Lower Cave). Agop Batu Tulug Museum Office head John Semuel@Samuel, 59, said although various legends and myths surround the discovery, their authenticity has yet to be scientifically proven. He said the coffins, estimated to be between 500 and 900 years old, are often linked to the influence of foreign traders, particularly from China, but there is no strong evidence to support such claims. “The placement of the coffins in elevated cave areas is believed to have been intended to prevent them from being swept away by floodwaters as earlier communities built their settlements along riverbanks. “The finely carved coffins display flora and fauna motifs, including animal heads, such as banteng or buffalo, believed to belong to nobility, while the uncarved coffins in Agop Litanga were meant for ordinary folk.” He said aside from the cave, which is believed to have been discovered in 1984, ancient ironwood coffins have been found at 12 other sites along Sabah’s east coast, including Gua Gomantong, Batu Supu, Miasis Darat,

o Plans to intensify promotional efforts to position site as key tourism destination: Dept deputy director Agop Sarupi and Gua Madai in Kunak, with an estimated total exceeding 2,000 coffins. John, who has served at the museum for 27 years, said there are no plans to nominate the site as a World Archaeological Heritage Site under Unesco, Bernama reported. Sabah Museum deputy director Aldofus Lester John Milip said in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2026, the state Museum Department would intensify promotional efforts to position the museum as one of Sabah’s key tourism destinations. “Upgrading works have been fully completed and the museum is expected to reopen to the public in February after being closed since May 2023.” He said since coming under the management of the department in 1996, Agop Batu Tulug has transformed into a site museum, allowing present generations to better appreciate its historical value and space. “We want to raise public awareness on

John said the coffins are often linked to the influence of foreign traders, particularly from China, but there is no strong evidence to support such claims. – BERNAMAPIC

He added that the Agop Batu Tulug Museum is not merely a place that houses coffins, but also reflects the respect, beliefs and identity of the Orang Sungai community that should be preserved.

the importance of preserving this unique culture. As a further step, we are collaborating with Universiti Sains Malaysia to conduct archaeological research related to the discovery of these ancient wooden coffins.”

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