TAMBUNAN: Kota Mat Sator, an old hidden fort in the district, stands as proof of the ingenuity of local warriors in resisting British forces in the early 1900s.
Located 400 metres from Kota Mat Salleh in Tibabar, the fort was named after Mat Salleh’s right-hand man, Mat Sator, who was entrusted with managing and guarding it.
Kota Mat Sator Museum curator Maxmillian Stanis Takong said the fort once served as the residence of Mat Salleh’s wife, Dayang Bandang, who was believed to have mystical powers to turn corn kernels into hornets, a skill said to have helped defend the stronghold.
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.defineSlot('/22826383987/dailyexpress_inline', [1, 1], 'gpt-passback').addService(googletag.pubads());googletag.enableServices();googletag.display('gpt-passback');});Mat Sator, he said, fought alongside Mat Salleh against the British. After the fort’s fall, he and about 400 followers attacked a British fort in Kudat and captured the area.
“The museum was set up to honour a warrior rarely mentioned in history.
“Although the fort was destroyed, Mat Sator managed to escape with his followers,” he said.
Since its opening in 2016, the museum has become a reminder of Mat Sator’s role in Tambunan’s history.
Maxmillian received a certificate of appreciation from Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Jeffery Kitingan during a Kembara Merdeka Jalur Gemilang (KMJG) convoy visit in conjunction with National Month.