Interior Division

The Interior Division (Malay: Bahagian Pedalaman) is an area in Sabah, Malaysia. It is in the southwest part of Sabah and borders the state of Sarawak.

This division covers a large area and is home to many people.

The biggest town is Keningau. Other important towns include Beaufort, Kuala Penyu, Sipitang, Tambunan, and Tenom. Different groups of people live in the Interior Division. Coastal areas have people such as the Bisaya, Bruneian Malays, and Kedayan. Inland, near the Crocker Range, many belong to the Dusun group. Tambunan is important for Dusun culture, and Tenom is the largest town for the Murut people. There are also Chinese people, especially from the Hakka group, in towns like Beaufort, Keningau, and Tenom. Places such as Long Pasia and Long Mio are gateways to the Lun Bawang/ Lun Dayeh tribes near Sipitang.

Districts

The Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia, has several districts. These districts help organize the area for local government work. Some of the districts are Beaufort, Keningau, Kuala Penyu, Membakut, Nabawan, Sipitang, Tambunan, Tenom, and Sook. Each district has its own town.

Constituencies

The Interior Division is split into six areas for national elections and 14 areas for state elections in Sabah.

History

Sabah’s divisions come from old rules made by the North Borneo Chartered Company. In 1881, they split the land into areas called residencies, like West Coast and East Coast. Sandakan was where leaders worked. Over time, more areas were added, including Interior Residency.

After World War II, when North Borneo became a Crown Colony, these areas stayed the same. In 1963, when Malaysia was formed, Sabah kept these divisions. In 1976, "residency" was changed to "division." Today, these divisions have little power, and local leaders do most of the work.