Mat Salleh Memorial Monument — Tambunan's Tribute to Mat Salleh

Last updated: 7 October 2026

What is the Mat Salleh Memorial Monument?

The Mat Salleh Memorial Monument (Muzium Monumen Peringatan Mat Salleh) is a heritage site at Kampung Tibabar, about 4 km from Tambunan town. It stands on the site of Mat Salleh's stronghold. After the fort was surrounded and shelled, Mat Salleh was killed there together with his followers (Sabah Museum, checked 7 October 2026). His death was reported by telegram from Labuan on 3 February 1900 (Singapore Free Press, NLB Singapore, checked 7 October 2026).

Datu Muhammad Salleh, known as Mat Salleh, became the figurehead of opposition to the British North Borneo Chartered Company in the 1890s. His followers destroyed the Company's harbour on Gaya Island in 1897, and he later built forts at Ranau and then Tambunan (Fitzwilliam Museum, checked 7 October 2026).

According to the Sabah Museum, the British government built the memorial park in memory of Mat Salleh and the followers who died at the site. The Tambunan District Council looked after it before it was handed over to the Sabah Museum Department, which runs it today. The site is open daily from 9am to 5pm and entry is free (Sabah Museum, checked 7 October 2026).

Why is the monument located in Tambunan?

The memorial is in Tambunan because this is where Mat Salleh's last fort stood. After the Company attacked his fort at Ranau in 1898, he retreated further into the hinterland (Fitzwilliam Museum, checked 7 October 2026). Tambunan, in a valley beyond the Crocker Range, was far from the Company's coastal bases.

Location	Mat Salleh's Connection	Can Visitors Go?
Gaya Island	1897 raid on the Company's harbour settlement	Yes; boats run from Kota Kinabalu. No marked raid site.
Ranau	Fort attacked by a Company expedition in 1898	No marked fort site that we know of
Kampung Tibabar, Tambunan	Last fort; Mat Salleh killed here in 1900. Memorial site today.	Yes; free, daily 9am–5pm

Sources: Fitzwilliam Museum and Sabah Museum, checked 7 October 2026.

What can I see at the memorial site?

Go with realistic expectations. This is a quiet memorial site, not a large museum.

The memorial: the memorial park marks the place where Mat Salleh and his followers died. Allow time to read whatever signage is on site.

The fort site: the memorial stands on the original fort site. Archaeological excavation there has also found stone tools, showing the spot was used in prehistoric times (Sabah Museum, checked 7 October 2026).

The setting: Tambunan is a highland valley of rice fields and farms ringed by the Crocker Range, and the drive there is part of the experience.

ℹ️ Combine with other interior sites

The Mat Salleh Memorial fits well into a day trip to Tambunan. If you are touring the interior, the Sabah Museum also runs Muzium Antanom in Tenom, which honours Ontoros Antanom, leader of the 1915 Rundum Rebellion (Sabah Museum, checked 7 October 2026).

How does Tambunan honour Mat Salleh today?

Mat Salleh is remembered in Sabah as a warrior who resisted Chartered Company rule, and the Tibabar memorial is the main public site connected with him. Its handover from the district council to the Sabah Museum Department means it is now maintained as one of the state's museum sites.

The Sabah Museum describes the site as both a memorial and an archaeological site, linking the story of the 1900 fort with the much older use of the place.

How do I get to the Mat Salleh Memorial from Kota Kinabalu?

By car: the road from Kota Kinabalu to Tambunan crosses the Crocker Range. It is a mountain road with many bends, so drive carefully and avoid unfamiliar mountain roads after dark. From Tambunan town, the memorial is about 4 km away at Kampung Tibabar (Sabah Museum, checked 7 October 2026). Use a navigation app for the final stretch.

By shared van: vans run between Kota Kinabalu and interior towns including Tambunan, Keningau and Tenom. Schedules and fares change, so ask at your hotel or the van terminal on the day.

By organised tour: some Kota Kinabalu tour operators run day trips to Tambunan. Check what is included before booking.

What to bring: water, sun protection and a light jacket, as the highlands can be cooler and wetter than the coast.

Contact for information: the Sabah Museum website lists contact details for its interior museums, including this site (Sabah Museum).

What else can I do in Tambunan district?

Tambunan Rafflesia Reserve: a forest reserve known for Rafflesia flowers, which bloom unpredictably for only a few days. Check in advance whether any are in bloom, and confirm current entry arrangements with the reserve.

Local food and farms: Tambunan is a farming district known for rice and highland vegetables. Local restaurants and homestays serve Kadazan-Dusun dishes.

Scenic drives: the valley's rice fields and the Crocker Range make for good photographs, especially in clear morning light.

Homestays: some local families run homestays that offer a look at village life in the interior.

Frequently asked questions

Q Is the Mat Salleh Memorial Monument worth visiting on its own?

The site is small and most of its value is historical: it is where Mat Salleh's last fort stood and where he was killed in 1900. Many visitors combine it with other stops in Tambunan to make a half day or full day in the district.

Q Are there guided tours of the Mat Salleh historical sites in Tambunan?

There is no regular scheduled tour. The Sabah Museum Department runs the site and lists contact details for the interior museums on its website, so ask there about guided visits. The site can be visited independently.

Q When is the memorial open and how much does it cost?

The Sabah Museum lists the memorial as open daily from 9am to 5pm, with free entry. Check the Sabah Museum website before travelling in case of closures.

Q Is Tambunan far from Kota Kinabalu?

Tambunan is on the far side of the Crocker Range from Kota Kinabalu. The road climbs over the range, so allow plenty of time and check a navigation app for current driving times. Shared vans also run between Kota Kinabalu and the interior towns.

Q What is the Tambunan Rafflesia Reserve?

It is a forest reserve near Tambunan known for Rafflesia, a parasitic plant with very large flowers that bloom unpredictably for only a few days. Check with the reserve before visiting whether any flowers are in bloom.