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How Rumah Sri Aman Got Its Name

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Due to its almost hidden location, most would probably not notice a big white house called Rumah Sri Aman located on top of a hill in the quiet town.

Rumah Sri Aman KajoMag
Rumah Sri Aman is located on top of a hill in the quiet town

Before it was called Sri Aman, the quiet town was once known as Simanggang.

Situated high on a hill, the white house was formerly known as the Government Rest House.

Before that, the double storey house served as the official bungalow of the Resident of Simanggang.

Rumah Sri Aman KajoMag
Rumah Sri Aman was once used as a government rest house and official bungalow for the Resident of Simanggang

Due to its unique structure, the rest house is also known as the octagon building as it was designed with eight walls.

Perhaps one of the most famous photos ever taken at this house was a black and white photo snapped on 21st October 1973.

The event on that date also led to the town’s name being changed to what it has become known as today – Sri Aman.

What happened back then?

In the early 60s, Sarawak was exposed to a communist insurgency as there were various parties that were opposed to the formation of Malaysia.

Initially, the formation of Malaysia involved bringing in Malaya, Sarawak, British North Borneo (Sabah), Brunei and Singapore to form a country.

One of the groups opposing this formation was the North Kalimantan Communist Party (NKCP) and its military formation, the North Kalimantan People’s Army (NKPA) or Pasukan Rakyat Kalimantan Utara (PARAKU).

It was a communist political party based in Sarawak.

NKCP was also known as the Sarawak Communist Organisation (SCO) or the Clandestine Communist Organisation (CCO).  

It was formed by Bong Kee Chok who was the commander and Commissar of NKCP.

He was arrested on 22nd June 1962 for protesting. After his release, he formed the NKCP in 1965 in Pontianak, West Kalimantan of Indonesia.

Sri Aman Operation

To put an end to the communist movement, Sri Aman Operation, a peace movement was formed.

The Sarawak Government’s effort in setting up the Rajang Security Command (RASCOM) in 1972 slowly gained control of the situation as well as the setting up of armed Vigilante Corps (RELA) by local residents.

Initially, NKCP received support from then President of Indonesia, Sukarno and Sarawak-based party, the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP).

But slowly through several counter insurgency operations, the Sarawak government began to take control of the situation.

Both Indonesian and Malaysian military forces began to collaborate in joint operations against the Sarawak communists, weakening the North Kalimantan Liberation Army.

In 1970 after elections, SUPP entered into a coalition with the Alliance Party’s Sarawak partners in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly. 

Realising that they were on the losing side, Bong realised that they needed to surrender.

Bong Kee Chok’s surrender

In his letter dated 10th October 1973, Bong wrote to the then Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Rahman Yakub indicating his willingness to surrender.

Under the Sri Aman Operation, formal negotiations were made on 20th October.

The next day, Rahman Yakub signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the government rest house in Simanggang.

Following the event, the first batch of Sarawak armed communists surrendered their weapons and were allowed to return to society.

The terrorists who surrendered were temporarily placed at the Protection Detention Centre for rehabilitation so that they could assimilate into the community.  

On 19th March 1974, Rahman Yakub announced the success of the Sri Aman Operation at the Tun Abdul Razak Development Hall in Kuching.

After the announcement of the success of the Sri Aman Operation, a parade was held around the city of Kuching.

Rahman Yakub declared that the curfew over the entire state of Sarawak which had lasted more than 11 years was to be lifted.

The communist insurgency was finally ended in 1990 following the surrender of the remaining NKCP members under the leadership of Bong Kee Hiu, the military commander of the First Division Military Unit and Hung Chu Ting, the deputy director of PARAKU and leader of the Second Bureau Third Division Unit.

Rumah Sri Aman

After the incident, the rest house was renamed Rumah Sri Aman which means House of Peace, to commemorate the event.

Rumah Sri Aman KajoMag
Chief Minister Tun Abdul Rahman Yakub (left) and Bong Kee Chok signing the MoU at the rest house in Simanggang

It was here that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on 21st October 1973 by Rahman Yakub and Bong Kee Chok.

They signed in their capacities as Chief Minister of Sarawak, and Director and Political Commissar of PARAKU, respectively.

The table which was used to sign the MoU has been moved to Fort Alice for visitors to see as Rumah Sri Aman is not open to the public.

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Cost of food was also an issue in Sarawak back in 1899

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No matter which country or century you are from, living expenses like the high cost of food has always been a primary concern.

But did you know this issue also affected the people of Sarawak even in 1899?

In an article published in The Sarawak Gazette on Nov 1, 1899, an unnamed author compared the increasing of cost of food in the former kingdom, highlighting how much the prices had increased over the years.

According to the author, there were no import duties on any food stuffs. Meanwhile, the market tariffs only affected vegetables, pork and fish, and these to a very small degree.

Here at KajoMag, we enjoy looking back through history, and so here is how much our food commodities cost back in 1899:

1.Fish products

Fish was sold at the market for 1/2 to 1 cent per catty (the weight equivelent of 604g). Salted terubok fish was sold at 2 or 3 cents each, which then increased to 8 to 10 cents in 1899.

The author also complained that salted tenggiri fish was selling at $5 per picul (which is old-school for a shoulder-load or 60kg), and then increased to $18.

Even dried prawns suffered the same fate whereby the price rose from 7 to 8 cents per catty to 20 cents.

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Dried shrimp. Credits: Pixabay.

2.Vegetables

The switch from vegetables to pepper cultivation had led to an increase in vegetable prices in Sarawak in 1899.

“How prices have risen with the last few years the following figures will show: Kribang or sweet potatoes which is a staple article of food formerly cost 35 to 40 cents per picul and now cost $1 to $1.50, and all other vegetables have risen over 50%.”

3.Pigs

The author also wrote about the price of pigs in 1899, “Pigs which were formerly sold at $9 per pikul now fetch $24 per pikul, and the retail price has risen from 13 to 14 cents per catty to 30-35 cents.”

Sarawak used to import pigs from Pontianak but then the number slowly decreased due to export duty imposed on these animals.

Was price control the answer to the high cost of food?

Although the author concluded that the cost of living and the cost of production had increased in Sarawak, he pointed out that the ‘reasons and the remedy for it are beyond us’.

He stated, “The government cannot say to a man, ‘you shall produce such and such food stuff and sell at such and such a price’. That experiment was tried during the first French Revolution and failed miserably.”

So according to the author, the government’s hope that bringing Hakka immigrants to plant more rice and vegetables would be fruitful in catering to the increasing demand of food.

He continued, “Cheaper rice would doubtless make a difference but we cannot hold out hopes of any great reductions either now or in the near future.”

More than 100 years later, these prices have never been reduced!

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4 simple Kajo-tested recipes with terong Dayak you can try at home

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My mouth automatically waters just thinking about terong Dayak….

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The Borneo Sour Brinjal is a native vegetable in Sarawak

When you visit the local wet market, you will see a variety of local fruits and vegetables available here in Sarawak.

One of the most iconic (and pretty) vegetables is the terong Dayak, or Borneo sour brinjal.

As a native Sarawakian, I have a moral obligation to tell everyone that if they are going to buy some, it is better to get them from the market since they are fresh.

Since the Borneo sour brinjal is easy to get here, KajoMag thought it would be helpful to list down some of the popular ways to cook this iconic vegetable.

Simple yet tasty Terong Dayak Soup

This is perhaps the simplest yet most tasty way to really enjoy the natural tanginess of terong Dayak.

All you need to make this dish is just two bowls of water, two cloves of garlic and some anchovies (ikan pusu). As with many dishes, you will have to slice the brinjal into equal slices of eight, and wash away the seeds.

To start, add in the garlic, anchovies and some belacan (optional) into a pot of water.

Then, add your brinjals into the pot and boil until tender.

Terong Dayak with Ikan Salai (Smoked Fish)

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Terong Dayak with Ikan Salai (Smoked Fish)- Picture credit: Imor L.

The terong Dayak and smoked fish combo is one of the most popular ways to cook this iconic vegetable.

To prepare, cut the brinjal into eight slices again and discard the seeds.

Add in lemongrass and a couple cloves of garlic into a pot of water.

When the water starts to boil, add in the smoked fish and after about 15 minutes, add in the brinjal.

For extra flavour (and colour), you may add in some chillies or upa tepus.

Terong Dayak Asam Pedas

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Terong Dayak Asam Pedas

Since terong Dayak has a natural tangy taste, it complements spicy flavours really well.

Which is why we like to cook it with asam pedas.

To make this, the brinjal is cut into equal 1/8 slices and the seeds washed away.

Then, place three cloves of garlic, one shallot, one piece of chilli, lemongrass, some turmeric, about a tablespoon of asam jawa with a little splash of water into a blender and blend.

When the oil is hot, add in the blended mixture. Add in the brinjal first since it takes more time to cook.

Stir fry the brinjal for a while and then add two bowls of water. After about 10 minutes, add in the fish and salt to taste.

Stir fried terong Dayak

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Stir fried terong Dayak

If you are not really a soup person, then this recipe is perfect for you.

Unlike the other recipes that require you to cut the brinjal into 8 slices, this one requires you to slice it thinly.

After prepping the brinjal, pound together three cloves of garlic, shallots, anchovies or dried shrimp, belacan and some chillies into a paste.

You may want to discard the seeds from the chilli as this dish can be quite spicy.

Stir fry the pounded paste and add in the brinjal with a little bit of water. Cook until soft. Add salt to taste but not too much as the paste is already quite salty on its own.

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The massacre of Sarawak officers at Long Nawang during WWII

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When news of Japanese troops coming to attack Sarawak broke out, the Chief Secretary put out instructions requiring all Brooke officers to remain at their stations.

However, a group of Sarawak officers decided to flee the kingdom and head to Dutch Borneo. Their decision to take refuge near the border of current day Kalimantan led to what most historians called the Long Nawang Massacre.

The journey to Long Nawang from Sibu

According to local historian Ooi Keat Gin, the Brooke officers in the Lower Rejang fled in a party of 26 men, three women and two children who were aged nine months and five years old.

The party was led by Andrew Macpherson, Resident of the Third Division. He brought along his wife who was then six-months pregnant. Other Brooke officers in the group included Sibu, Kanowit and Kapit district officers.

Ooi wrote, “Macpherson’s plan was to go up the Rajang, cross over into Dutch Borneo to Long Nawang, a Dutch military outpost.

“The party reached Kapit by motorboat, negotiated the Pelagus Rapids to arrive at Long Bahau above Belaga. They stayed at Kenyah longhouses along the way. After Belaga, smaller and lighter boats brought them through the shallower, rapid-infested headwaters of the Ulu Rejang.”

After 28 gruelling days of crossing treacherous mountains on Jan 22, 1942, the group finally arrived at Long Nawang, which was also a Kenyah settlement.

There, the party had the comfort of a four-bed hospital with an adequate supply of medicine. Furthermore, they had enough food supply to last for a year.

Macpherson and his team separate at Long Nawang

After arriving at Long Nawang, Macpherson who was suffering from malaria, decided to stay there. However, he allowed the rest to proceed and carry on their plans.

So four men – Jacks, Schotling, McKerracher and T.E Walter – decided to go to Long Iram and then Samarinda.

The men reached Samarinda and managed to board a plane to Bandung. Somehow Jacks and McKerracher eventually reached Perth while Walter and Schotling were captured and imprisoned by the Japanese.

Meanwhile another group of Brooke officers unfit to travel decided to return to Belaga. There, they were eventually taken into custody and interred at Batu Lintang POWs Camp. They may have had a better fate than those who stayed behind at Long Nawang.

The other refugees of Long Nawang

Besides Macpherson and his team, there was another group of Brooke officers and a missionary priest from Marudi who made their way to Long Nawang.

According to retired Mill Hill Missionary priest Theo M. Feldbrugge, he had a paternal uncle who was a Mill Hill priest during World War II.

The older Rev Feldbrugge was the parish priest of Marudi. Together with Resident of Marudi Mr Hudden and a few other British officers, they decided to go to Kalimantan to seek refuge.

“So they walked up to Baram and by boat and then they walked all the way to Long Sang, Long Nakang and across the mountains down the riverside till finally they ended up in Long Nawang.”

The arrival of Dutch and Indonesian soldiers

In April 1942, Lieutenant D.J.A Westerhuis arrived at Long Nawang along with 40 Dutch and Indonesian soldiers.

Four months later, two Kenyahs brought the news that more than 70 Japanese soldiers were on their way to Long Nawang.

But Westerhuis did not believe that the Japanese would ever discover their hideout.

Rev Feldbrugge pointed out that Long Nawang was at the very head of the Mahakam river in Indonesia which went to Balikpapan.

“And they thought the Japs would never come. But the Japs were in Balikpapan and they were told God knows by whom that Orang Putih were there in Long Nawang.”

So the Japanese came up to Long Nawang, trickling in via Mahakam river.

The massacre

On August 20, 1942, about 76 Japanese marines led by Captain Mora Shima arrived at Long Nawang attacking the border post with mortars, light machine guns and rifles.

Many were killed during the attack. The Japanese rounded up the surviving Europeans, imprisoning them while they allowed the Indonesian soldiers to return to their military post at Tarakan.

There were at least two eyewitnesses for what happened next; Corporal Tamburiang and Private Markus who were former native polices living in Long Nawang were executed on Aug 26 and buried in two graves.

Then a month later on Sept 23, the Japanese massacred all the women and children.

Another witness, Tusau Padan who was 11 years old at that time saw how the execution of the children took place.

The young children were forced to climb palm trees. Then they were impaled on the upraised bayonets when they slipped down in exhaustion.

All the women and children were buried in one grave.

After the war, the victims of Long Nawang massacre were exhumed and reburied on Tarakan island at Makam Pahlawan.

There have been requests by the descendants of the massacre victims to bring them home from Tarakan to Sarawak.

Among them were the grandchildren of Desmond Vernon Murphy, a British officer serving as Assistant Superintendent of the Sarawak constabulary and Sarawak Rangers.

Murphy was one of the officers who joined Macpherson to Long Nawang and later executed. His grandchildren wanted him to be buried in the Heroes Graves in Kuching so that it would be easier for them to visit to pay their respects.

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Tarakan War Cemetery after the dedication on Oct 9, 1945. Photographer: Lt W. N. Prior.
Credit: Public Domain (Copyright expired).
Why did the Japanese massacre the refugees of Long Nawang?

It took the Japanese alone four weeks to reach Long Nawang. Having to travel out of the area with the more than 40 prisoners including women and children along would have taken them even longer.

For the Japanese troops at that moment, it was more expedient to kill the prisoners right there in that thick jungle.

Another reason why they were killed was because, for the Japanese, the refugees were considered enemy fugitives (even Macpherson’s newborn baby).

Ooi wrote in his book The Japanese Occupation of Borneo, “The fact that the refugees at Long Nawang did not voluntarily surrender themselves as was the expectation of the Japanese military authorities following the establishment of a new regime in Borneo made them, legally speaking, enemy fugitives.”

He added that from this perspective their execution was in line with wartime military requirements.

As for Captain Shima, the man who was responsible for the Long Nawang Massacre? There were no traces of him after WWII, and so he was never persecuted for his war crimes.

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5 things you should know about the aftermath of the 13 May incident

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The 13 May 1969 incident remains a dark mark in Malaysian history to this day. The racial riots which happened after the 1969 Malaysian general election led to a state of national emergency or “Darurat” by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on May 15.

The events also caused significant changes in the country, which included the first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman stepping down.

In the wake of the 13 May riots, a caretaker government – the National Operations Council (NOC) – was formed and chaired by Tun Haji Abdul Razak bin Dato’ Hussein.

As George Santayana once said, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Here are five things every Malaysian should know about the aftermath of the 13 May incident.
1.The birth of Rukunegara

After the 13 May incident, Malaysian racial balance and interrelations were fragile.

So the Malaysian government sought ways to foster unity among its people, one of the ways was by introducing the Rukunegara, Malaysia’s declaration of national philosophy instituted by royal proclamation:

WHEREAS OUR COUNTRY, MALAYSIA nurtures the ambitions of:

– Achieving a more perfect unity amongst the whole of her society;
– Preserving a democratic way of life;
– Creating a just society where the prosperity of the country can be enjoyed together in a fair and equitable manner;
– Guaranteeing a liberal approach towards her rich and varied cultural traditions; and
– Building a progressive society that will make use of science and modern technology.

WE, HER PEOPLE, pledge our united efforts to attain these ends guided by these principles:
– BELIEF IN GOD
– LOYALTY TO KING AND COUNTRY
– THE SUPREMACY OF THE CONSTITUTION
– THE RULE OF LAW
– COURTESY AND MORALITY

2.The introduction of the New Economic Policy (NEP)

Following the 13 May incident, the new Economic Policy was announced in The Second Malaysia Plan. Over the years, many have criticised NEP as an inefficient system as it believed to be promoting a laid-back attitude among the Bumiputeras.

Apart from that, some of the policies in NEP such as Bumiputera quotas in ownership of public company stock and housing sold exclusively to Bumiputeras were viewed as discriminatory.

Nonetheless, NOC in the beginning had justified the need for NEP, especially after 13 May, stating, “National Unity is unattainable without greater equity and balance among Malaysia’s social and ethnic groups in their participation in the development of the country and in the sharing of the benefits from modernisation and economic growth. National Unity cannot be fostered if vast sections of the population remain poor and if sufficient productive employment opportunities are not created for the expanding labour force.”

3. The 13 May racial riots did not happen in Sabah and Sarawak, but some believed that these two Borneo states paid an even heftier price.

While Sabah and Sarawak did not see riots happening in their streets, the two East Malaysian states were nonetheless affected.

According to Zainnal Ajamain, political analyst and author of The Queen’s Obligation, many ordinances and gazettes were issued when Parliament was suspended during the state of emergency.

During this period, Zainnal believed the laws used to take the Bornean states’ wealth included the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance No. 7, 1969, the Continental Shelf Act 1966, and the Petroleum Mining Act 1966.

He cited one example which was Sabah and Sarawak territorial waters being reduced from 350 miles to 3 nautical miles through the new ordinances and gazettes.

Explaining more on the matter, the political analyst stated: “By virtue of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance No. 7 1969, the Continental Shelf Act 1966 of Sabah and Sarawak was owned by the federal state. The emergency ordinance limited the territorial waters so that whatever was beyond three nautical miles now belonged to the federal government.”

Since it was in a state of emergency, nothing that the federal government does can be challenged as unconstitutional.

Parliament only reconvened on Feb 20, 1971.

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13 May remains a dark piece in Malaysian history. Credits: Pixabay.
4.The number of dead to this day are still in dispute

Malaysia records the official number of casualties during the 13 May riots as 196; with 143 Chinese, 25 Malay, 13 Indian and 15 undetermined.

But Western media and other observers estimated the number up to ten times as many people had died with three quarters of the casualties were Chinese.

John J. Helbie who was working as a political officer at the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur during the 13 May riots said the government casualty figures had not been an accurate account.

In a 1996 interview, Helbie shared his experience saying, “There was an AP (Associated Press) stringer in Kuala Lumpur whom we knew. Of course, in the best of journalistic traditions, he was out in the streets. Within hours he knew enough, for example, to check several of the local hospitals and find out something about casualties. The casualty figure came in slowly. The government casualty figures were never honest. We knew that from the diverse reports we were receiving.”

He continued, “This is not uncommon in situations where governments don’t want to admit the degree of disorder that has occurred and their inability to handle the situation. It was clear that the government had lost control. The police were totally outnumbered and didn’t have the resources to deal with the situations.”

5.The cause behind the riots remain in debate

On Oct 9, 1969, the NOC released a report cited racial politics as the primary cause of the 13 May incident.

Additionally, the government pointed its finger at opposition parties for creating tensions after the 1969 elections.

The most controversial cause believed to be the reason behind the 13 May riots was based on declassified documents, which have become available at the Public Record Office at London.

Scholar Dr Kua Kia Soong even published a book May 13: Declassified Documents on the Malaysian Riots of 1969 based on these records.

He challenged the Malaysian government’s official cause of the 13 May incident.

Dr Kua stated that the “ascendant state capitalist class” in ruling party United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), had intentionally started the riot. This move, Kua stated, was backed by the police and army as a coup d’etat to topple the Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman to implement the new Malay Agenda.

According to one British Foreign Office document dated May 15, 1969, it succinctly ‘concludes that the riots were organised to formalise Malay dominance, sideline the Chinese and shelve the Tunku government’.

Meanwhile Tunku Abdul Rahman blamed opposition parties for the violence. He also blamed the influence of Communists, believing the incidents were sparked off by Chinese Communist youths.

As for the Malays who engaged in the violence, Tunku Abdul Rahman said they were merely responding to intolerable provocations.

Meanwhile, current day Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on May 14 this year said that the government would study the request to declassify the official report on the May 13 1969 racial riots.

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What Sarawak nature looked like in the 19th century according to Harriette McDougall

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Harriette McDougall was the wife of Francis Thomas McDougall, the first Anglican Bishop of Labuan and Sarawak from 1849 to 1868.

They first arrived in Sarawak on June 29, 1848 then subsequently established a medical mission as well as a home school here.

The couple spent the next 20 years -on and off- in the Kingdom, visiting various areas in Sarawak.

In 1888, Harriette published ‘Sketches of Our Life at Sarawak’, a book sharing her experience while staying in Borneo.

While some of her accounts were controversial, arguable and biased; she cited the deaths of the Great Kayan Expedition as “their own fault” and stated Islam as “not a faith which teaches mercy or respects life”, Harriette did give descriptions of Sarawak nature during the mid-19th century that would be important for historians or ecologists today.

They not only gave glimpses of how the state appeared back then, but how much has changed in term of biodiversity:

Here are some of the places Harriette described in her book ‘Sketches of Our Life at Sarawak’:
1.Buntal Bay
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Welcome to Buntal Esplanade!

Over recent years, scientists identified Bako Buntal Bay as the wandering site for at least 27 migratory bird species in their annual migration between Southeast Asia and Australasia.

However, can you imagine that the number of bird species could be more during the mid 19th century?

According to Harriette, there was no settlement at Buntal bay when they occasionally visited the area.

Harriette wrote, “As the tide ebbed the birds arrived–tall storks, fishing eagles, gulls, curlew, plover, godwits, and many others we did not know. They flew in long lines, till they seemed to vanish and reappear, circling round and round, then swooping down upon the sand where the receding waves were leaving their supper. I never saw a prettier sight. The tall storks seemed to act like sentinels, watching while the others fed.”

She continued, “And there are many such spots in Borneo where no human foot ever trod, and where trees, flowers, and insects flourish exceedingly; where the birds sing songs of praise which are only heard by their Maker, and where the wild animals of the forest live and die unmolested. There is always something delightful to me in this idea. We are apt to think that this earth is made for man, but, after many ages, there are still some parts of his domain unconquered, some fair lands where the axe, the fire, and the plough arc still unknown.”

2.Muara Tebas
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The view of Muara Tebas.

When Harriette and her companions needed to enter Sarawak, they used the Muara Tebas route.

Along this route, she took in the view of villages and environment along the river banks.

Though Harriette mistook crocodiles for alligators, she did describe how the mangrove forests came alive with glittering fireflies during the night.

During this 21st century, one can only imagine how beautiful that sight was.

“The river winds continually, and every new reach had its interest: a village of palm-leaf houses built close to the water, women and children standing on the steps with their long bamboo jars, or peeping out of the slits of windows at the schooner; boats of all sizes near the houses, fishing-nets hanging up to dry, wicked alligators lying basking on the mud; trees of many varieties–the nibong palm which furnishes the posts of the houses, the nipa which makes their mat walls, and close by the water the light and graceful mangroves, which at night arc all alive and glittering with fire-flies. On the boughs of some larger trees hanging over the stream, parties of monkeys might be seen eating the fruits, chattering, jumping, flying almost, from bough to bough.”


3.Batang Rajang

When Harriette arrived at Batang Rajang, she described it as a glorious river saying “It is not visited by a bore, and eighty miles from the sea it is half a mile broad, and deep to the banks.”

She also had high praises for the flowers in Borneo.

Harriette wrote, “They seldom grow on the ground, though you may sometimes come upon a huge bed of ground orchids, but mostly climb up the trees, and hang in festoons from the branches. One plant, the Ixora, for instance, propagating itself undisturbed, will become a garden itself, trailing its red or orange blossoms from bough to bough till the forest glows with colour.

The Rhododendron, growing in the forks of the great branches, takes possession of the tall trees, making them blush all over with delicate pinks and lilacs, or deepest rose clusters. Then the orchideous plants fix themselves in the branches, and send out long sprays of blossom of many colours and sweetest perfume.”

At the Rajang river, Harriette also paid attention to the sounds or birds.

According to her there were not many singing birds in Borneo but she did notice the curious creaking noise made by the wings of Rhinoceros hornbills as they fly past.

(We bet Sarawakians nowadays may not be aware of how hornbills’ wings sound.)

Regardless, the biggest noisemaker of the Borneon jungle was none other than the gibbons or as Harriette called them, the Wawa monkey.

Here is how she lengthily described the sounds of gibbons:

“More musical is the voice of the Wawa monkey, a bubbling like water running out of a narrow-necked bottle, always to be heard at early dawn, and the sweetest of alarums. A dead stillness reigns in the jungle by day, but at sunset every leaf almost becomes instinct with life. You might almost fancy yourself beset by Gideon’s army, when all the lamps in the pitchers rattled and broke, and every man blew his trumpet into your ear. It is an astounding noise certainly, and difficult to believe that so many pipes and rattles, whirring machines and trumpets, belong to good-sized beetles or flies, singing their evening song to the setting sun. As the light dies away all becomes still again, unless any marshy ground shelters frogs. But to hear all this you must go to the old jungle, where the tall trees stand near together and shut out the light of day, and almost the air, for there is a painful sense of suffocation in the dense wood.”

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Tumpik, the Sarawak pancake

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Like most pancake dishes, whether they’re from Western or Eastern cuisines, tumpik is guaranteed to be both satisfying and delicious.

Tumpik KajoMag
Tumpik is a must-try dish when you are in Bintangor town.

The word “tumpik” generally means “pancake”. It is a Melanau dish made from sago flour called ‘lemantak’ and dried coconut flakes. It is commonly made at home for personal consumption.

This local pancake is an iconic dish from a small town called Bintangor, which is about half an hour drive from Sarikei.

So, if you find yourself visiting either towns, do make some time to look for this special type of pancake – you will not regret it.  

In Bintangor, you can look for stall No. 15 located at the local wet market along Jalan Teo Kin Ngo which specialises in tumpik.

The stall is owned by Haji Abang Saini B Abg Bantin and customers can choose between two types of tumpik; original and the special.

The original is basically just plain sago pancake with dried coconut flakes.

Tumpik KajoMag
The original tumpik is cooked to a lovely golden brown and has a soft crunchy texture

As it has a neutral taste, it is usually eaten by dipping it in sweet gula apong or palm sugar syrup.

Since the pancake is baked and not fried, you will find that it is not oily and has a nice golden brown on the surface.

Tumpik KajoMag
The original tumpik is usually eaten by dipping it in gula apong sauce

It is lightly fragrant and has a nice soft crunchy texture that soaks up the sweet sauce which complements it perfectly.

The special, on the other hand, is thicker than the original tumpik since it has prawn filling.

Tumpik KajoMag
The special tumpik has prawn filling, is thicker and has a chewy texture

With a chewier texture, the prawn also gives the tumpik a tangy and savoury flavour. The special tumpik is also visually pleasing as it has a beautiful white-to-pink gradient in the middle.

While both types of tumpik can be eaten with the gula apong sauce, the tumpik with prawn already has a lovely taste, and so is better on its own.

If you are not the type to go for a big breakfast, you might want to try tumpik for a change.

While sago is definitely a healthy source of carbohydrates, this pancake will leave you feeling satisfied without feeling overly full.

The changing flavours of tumpik

While the plain and fish flavour ones are the more traditional types of tumpik that have been enjoyed by Sarawakians for the longest time, these days you can find people selling tumpik with various fillings such as chocolate or jam.

In Kuching, it is said that this type of modified versions can be found in the Matang area.

While I personally have not tried any of the modern versions yet – so watch this space for another post on these unconventional flavours – reactions to these sweet version are mixed, with some still preferring the traditional tumpik.

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Digging up the dead: Sarawak’s most chilling exhumation tale

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Back in the olden days of Borneo, exhumation of the dead were common in Sarawak culture, especially among the Kenyah and Murut, for secondary burial purposes.

They usually waited until the body had fully decomposed. Then they would clean the bones and subsequently put them in a jar.

Another common reason for exhumation recorded in Sarawak was to relocate the dead bodies of military personnel buried after World War II.

But here is one reason for exhumation that is the stuff of Malaysian horror movies; a disturbing tale of desecrating the dead for charm purposes.

Digging up the dead to create a charm

In a Dec 7, 1949 article published in The Sarawak Gazette, George Jamuh told a story of how the grave of a first-born child, preferably a male, would be opened up the night of their burial.

Then, the perpetrator would hold the dead child in both hands and swing the body to and fro for some time until the strain would force the tongue to show.

George wrote, “This was the most frightening part of the performance as it was believed that all the cemetery spirits stood to watch the brave effort made by one not of their kin.”

And here comes the disturbing part of the story. According to George, the tongue must then be bitten off and tiny morsels of it obtained to be preserved in a certain mixture of oils that had been prepared with a spell.

Later, this preserved tongue would be used as a charm – usually for theft during broad daylight.

“Occasionally one hears stories of a thief walking into a house and asking for the key from the occupant and, after thoroughly ransacking the house, going off again the way he came, and not till some time afterwards would the alarm be given.

“The victim, it is said, cannot move and shout because of the spell whispered and blown by the thief who has the bitten-off piece of tongue inside his mouth during the whole period.”

This story might be just an urban legend from 1940s Sarawak as he said that the details of this particular exhumation were acquired from information given in various districts and at different times over a period of years.

Nonetheless, George noted that although there may be little truth to the taking of the infant’s tongue for a charm, he believed that the exhumation ceremony and biting off of the tongue were authentic.

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Borneo states favoured Malaysia, according to United Nations 1963 report

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Sept 16, 1963 marks the day the Federation of Malaysia was established. But did you know that the United Nations only released its UN Malaysia Assessment Mission report two days before on Sept 14?

UN Secretary-General U Thant had sent nine men on a mission with the agreement of Britain, to satisfy Indonesia and the Philippines on whether the Borneo states (Sarawak and North Borneo) agreed on the setting up of Malaysia. The Philippines was laying territorial claim on a portion of North Borneo, while Indonesia under President Sukarno objected to the formation of Malaysia, calling Tunku Abdul Rahman’s plans ‘neo-colonialist’.

In the UN report, U Thant stated: “In response to the request made by the Governments of the Federation of Malaya, the Republic of Indonesia, and the Republic of the Philippines, on Aug 5, 1963, I agreed to ascertain, prior to the establishment of the Federation, the wishes of the people of Sabah (North Borneo) and Sarawak.

“As foreseen in my communication of Aug 8, 1963, a mission was established, comprising two teams, one for Sarawak and the other for Sabah, working under the supervision of my personal representative.”

Headed by Laurence Michemore and composed entirely of UN secretariat members, the mission eventually found that the great majority of the people of Sabah and Sarawak ‘strongly supported’ Malaysia.

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Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysian Federation. Credit: Pixabay.
Here are principal findings by the UN Malaysia Mission on Borneo states’ stand on the federation:

1.Sarawak and North Borneo had reached a stage a self-government that would enable their people to make a responsible choice of their future.

2.Their decision to join Malaysia was the result of the freely expressed wishes of their peoples.

3.The great majority of the people of North Borneo had strongly supported the Malaysia proposals from the time of the elections to the present.

4.An analysis of the Sarawak election returns showed 61% in favour of Malaysia; 22.2% opposed and 16.8% neutral.

5.Of the 183,191 Sarawak citizens who took definitive stands on Malaysia, 73.3% were in favour and 26.7% opposed.

6.Sarawak’s elected representatives stood in favour of Malaysia, 284 to 123, or 66.2% to 28.7%. The other 22 could not be classified in either groups.

7.In North Borneo, doubts and reservations appeared to be limited to groups, largely in the interior and may have been attributed to satisfaction with the status quo, lack of information or lack of clear understanding of the proposal or suspicion of unfamiliar ideas.

8.Popular support for Malaysia in North Borneo had increased since the elections.

9.Malaysia was a major issue in recent elections in both Borneo states and the vast majority of the electorate understood the proposal to join Malaysia.

10.The actions of Sarawak’s Council Negri in welcoming the establishment of Malaysia could be regarded as the expression of the wish of the people through established legislative institutions.

U Thant’s statement on the report

Meanwhile, U Thant also concluded that the majority of the peoples of North Borneo and Sarawak wanted the idea of Malaysia.

“I have come to the conclusion that the majority of the peoples of Sabah and of Sarawak have given serious and thoughtful consideration to their future and to the implications for them of participation in a Federation of Malaysia.”

However, some argued that the UN could not carry out such a comprehensive survey in large territories like Sabah and and Sarawak in such a short amount of time when most parts were not even accessible back then.

Still, U Thant defended the team stating, “While more time might have enabled the mission to obtain more copious documentation and other evidence, it would not have affected the conclusions to any significant extent.”

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The little-known story of floating dead bodies off Buntal Bay

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What would you do if you came across a scene of floating dead bodies? It is an unimaginable sight for today’s Sarawakians but that was what happened during the early part of World War II.

Before we get into the floating dead bodies, let’s talk about the Japanese attack on Kuching during World War II.

On Dec 16, 1941, the Japanese forces managed to secure Miri and Seria with only very little resistance from British forces.

About a week later on Dec 22, a Japanese convoy left Miri for Kuching but was spotted by a Dutch flying boat (otherwise known as a seaplane). It radioed in a warning to a Dutch submarine, HNLMS K XIV which was under the command of Lieutenant Commander Carel A. J. van Groenevald.

Since HNLMS K XIV saw the Japanese coming, it managed to break the Japanese convoy on Dec 23. It attacked two Japanese troopships Hiyoshi Maru and Katori Maru off the coast of Santubong.

Both of these army transports sunk together with hundreds of Japanese troops. Another troopship Hokkao Maru was beached to prevent it from sinking while Nichiran Maru was less seriously damaged.

The rest of the troops were able to land and they were met by the 15th Punjab Regiment which resisted the attack. But the British Indian Army was soon outnumbered and retreated up the river. By Christmas eve, Kuching was already in Japanese hands.

What happened to the dead bodies?
Buntal Esplanade 11
Kampung Buntal.

According to George Jamuh in an article published The Sarawak Gazette on Dec 7, 1949, one of the troopships was bombed at Tanjung Sipang on Santubong Peninsular.

After the bombing, hundreds of dead bodies floated into Buntal Bay with many of them washed ashore and some even wedged between the roots of mangrove trees.

“For weeks Buntal villagers did not dare to eat fish, particularly crabs, and some ikan badukang that were sent to the Kuching fish market contained fingers and toes of Japanese soldiers,” George wrote.

Soon enough, the area was full of flies, maggots and foul odours. Then, it came to a point that the villagers near Buntal bay, without waiting for orders, buried these dead bodies.

The villagers buried them where they found them, leaving some mark above each grave.

After some weeks, perhaps after the Japanese started to settle in Kuching, some of the Japanese officers came down and forced all the local men to exhume the bodies.

George was doubtful if all were the dead bodies were dug up because there were reports of more remains found after the war.

He wrote, “It was understood that only the skulls were taken to be cremated and the villagers were told that individual ashes were to be sent to relatives in Japan. This tale the villagers swallowed; but, in the absence of identity discs or dented numbers on the skulls, how could this be done? Unless, of course, it was done in the way APC powders were mixed and distributed by the Japanese.”

Now comes the question; is it possible that some of Japanese soldiers’ remains are still buried at Buntal bay?

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