Lahad Datu Town

Lahad Datu Town is located within the Lahad Datu District in the southeast corner of Sabah State. Booming timber operations followed by the rapid expansion of the oil palm sector since the 1970s have brought about a drastic increase in Lahad Datu District's population from approx. 40,000 in 1980 to approx. 200,000 in 2005. Continuing growth in the agricultural sector is expected to raise the District's population to 240,000 by 2010. Just over 40% of this figure will be urban dwellers.

The population is a mix of local bumiputras (natives), Chinese and a sizable immigrant group from neighbouring Philippines and Indonesia who areemployed in the plantation sector.

Strategic site

The Lahad Datu POIC is located within 3km of Lahad Datu Town and its existing port. An additional area of over 2,000 acres of adjacent land has been earmarked for future development.

Locating Sabah's first POIC at Lahad Datu and at a site near the town and port is designed to take advantage of the fact that Lahad Datu's location at the heart of Sabah's palm oil belt. Within this belt are sited most of the approx. 100 palm oil mills in Sabah producing some 5 million tonnes of palm oil and palm kernel oil per year. Lahad Datu District alone processes about 30% of the oil palm produced in Sabah.

Accessibility

Lahad Datu is linked by road to the rest of Sabah State. It has no direct international air links. However, 8 flights daily to and from Kota Kinabalu International Airport provide easy connection to international destinations.

Click on the map for a larger view