1978 The old fish market of Kota Kinabalu Town

1978 The old fish market of Kota Kinabalu Town (now city)

1978 The old fish market of Kota Kinabalu Town (now city)

Opposite the old fish market was a slum area of about 100 illegal squatter families (see right corner of the photo). The longboats in front the fish market were their daily transportation. Most probably the same boats used by them to escape from Philippines to seek asylum in Sabah.

The 1970s' Philippines Muslims seeking asylum in Sabah is similar to 2000s Rohingya  Muslims seeking asylum in West Malaysia.

In 1980s, the local authority begun to relocate  these refugees away from the city water front. These refugees filled the shortage of cheap labors in the fishing industries. Without them, there will be no cheap seafood in Sabah.

In 2000s Chinese from China begun flowing  the beautified waterfront. Almost all of them consume the cheap seafood while in Kota Kinabalu. Keeping the fishing industries bloom alive. Keeping these cheap laborers originated from Philippines in highly employed.

1978 Happy refugee child with his boat at Kota Kinabalu waterfront.

Today, many Malaysian born children of the Philippines refugees are still without Malaysia citizenship. But they are highly demanded as cheap labors  keeping Sabah fishing industries stable growth.