GOOD FRIDAY CROSS AT TIVUNG ON THE BRINK OF COLLAPSE

A group of old boys from St. Michael’s School Penampang (names too long to write) believe that the Good Friday this year is the last that the 120 years old famous landmark, the Cross on Tivung Hill will be seen. The onslaught of unregulated development and hill cutting has put the cross on the brink of collapse.

The suggestion that if the hill collapse, the cross can be re-erected at the same location but at a lower height is dismissed by the group as having an ulterior motive.

According to them, church records show that the first hardwood timber cross was erected by a German Mill Hill Missionary priest known as Rev. (Tuan) Father Duxneuner in 1893 in protest against the plan by the British Chartered Company to turn a large farming land surrounding the hills into a Rubber Estate, with support from the local natives.

For several decades the hill became a focal point for the local parish to perform the Station of the Cross Prayers but had to stop since the foot of the hill was sold to a developer.

Last Christmas a local engineer Banie Lasimbang and friends lighted up the cross using solar technology in protest for the loss of this landmark but no champion of history or heritage came to support publicly.