LEPA

Newly buildings in downtown Semporna really added to the attraction of local and international tourists coming to this town. Adjacent to the Sipadan Hotel there was a Muslim restaurant having WiFi connection. I spent my whole afternoon sat there while waiting for a friends arrive from Kota Kinabalu. While I'm busy checking the notification on my FB wall, I suddenly saw the Lepa symbol on the signboard above.

Lepa is a boat made from wood used by the Samal/Bajau in their livelihood or as their medium of transportation. Bajau is one of the Tausug ethnics of the Sultanate of Sulu Darul Islam. This ethnic widely spreading in any countries in Southeast Asia. 

Bajau in Semporna is originally from Sulu despite of their Nationality. Historically, Semporna is part of North Borneo and North Borneo is belongs to the Sultanate of Sulu. Thus no one can lay a claim that Bajau in Semporna was not coming from Sulu.

My afternoon in Semporna gave me a little taste of the past. Maybe one day, i'll visit again this place, perhaps to go to any tourist spots in this town.