Rajang River

In Sarawakian Malay, the main river is named Batang (meaning "trunk" or "tree" in Malay) as it is the main larger stream as they took "root" in from its tributary rivers which is known as Sungai ("river" proper in Sarawakian Malay) and branches out again at the delta. For example, Rajang River is known as Batang Rajang and Balleh River is known as Sungai Balleh in Malay.[3][note 1] However, Standard Malay makes no differentiation in this regard.

For upriver areas, such as the areas surrounding the headwaters, the place is named as "Ulu" (which means "upriver") or "Hulu" in Malay. For example, "Hulu Rajang" is the upriver part of the Rajang river.[4] For bazaars along the river that are too small to call towns, they are named as "Nanga" in the Iban language, which is located at the point which the tributaries join the main river. Examples of Nangas are: Nanga Ngemah, Nanga Dap, and Nanga Poi.[3][note 2] In Iban language, "Nanga" means "estuary" and it is often followed by the name of the river that they are next to. There are also certain longhouses that use "Rumah" (meaning "house" in Malay). It often follows the name of the headman. If the headman changed, then the name of the longhouse also changed. "Long" meaning "confluence" is used by the Orang Ulu (upriver people). It is used to name the places located at the confluence between the smaller tributaries and the major river, same way as the Malay usage of the name "Kuala" (meaning river delta).[4]

it Island is located at the mouth of the Rajang River

The Rajang river is the longest river system in Malaysia, measuring 350 miles (560 km). Its headwaters is located in the Nieuwenhuis mountains where it forms the political boundary between Malaysia and Indonesia. There is more than 160 inches (410 cm) of rain fall each year on the Nieuwenhuis mountain range, which forms the headwaters of Rajang. The river flows from northeast to southwest. The Punan Bah people are staying at the headwaters of the Rajang. One of the Rajang tributaries, the Balui River, located at the north of Hose mountains,[5][note 3] flows into the lands of the Kayan people and Kenyah people. There is also a great bend of the Rajang river in this region. At the western end of the great bend lies the Belaga District. Going further downstream is the Pelagus Rapids where the Iban people dominates.[3][note 4] The Pelagus Rapids is located at 180 miles (290 km) from the Rajang river mouth. As Balleh River from the south of Hose mountains[5][note 5] joins with the Balui river, the Rajang river become broader and deeper. The broader part of the Rajang river hosted about 25% of the people of Sarawak.[3][note 6] It is also at this intersection point, about 160 miles (260 km) from the river mouth, the river started to flow from east to west. At this point, there is a town known as Kapit. Kapit is the last stop of express boats coming from Sibu. The town of Kapit is inhabited by the Iban, Chinese and Kayan people.[3][note 7] Kapit is the biggest town in the upper Rajang river.[5][note 8]

Further downriver are the smaller towns such as Song which is located at the mouth of the Katibas River. At about 120 miles (190 km) from the sea, there are Mixed Zone Lands. These lands can be owned both the Chinese and the Iban people. The lands are divided into parcels measuring several acres, where smallholders clear the land for agricultural activities.[3][note 9] In the midst of these Mixed Zone Lands at 105 miles (169 km) miles from the sea, there is a town named Kanowit. The river near Kanowit is 0.5 miles (0.80 km) wide.[3][note 10]

The biggest town by the river is Sibu, some 65 miles (105 km) upriver from the mouth of the Rajang.[5][note 11] It can be reached by ocean-going vessels. Sibu is the political, economic, cultural, and education centre of the central region of Sarawak.[3][note 12] Other towns which are located further downriver are Sarikei [24 miles (39 km) from Rajang town] and Bintangor.[11 miles (18 km) from Sarikei].[5][note 13] These two towns are mainly settled by the Chinese. Tanjung Manis District [16 miles (26 km) from river mouth][5][note 14] is located near the Rajang River delta where the Malay and Melanau people dominates.[3][note 15] Bruit Island is situated inside the Rajang delta, with a light house at the Sirik Point.[1] The Rajang delta is bounded between the Igan town in the north and the Rajang town [4 miles (6.4 km) from the river mouth] in the south.[5][note 16]

A group a natives row their longboat against water current in the river near Pelagus in 1912.

The population of the Rajang River was very low in the 19th century during the Bruneian Empire. The natives living along the river traded several forest products with Malay traders from Brunei. At that time, the Melanau, Kanowit, and Rajang ethnic groups were living downriver; Bhuket, Punan Bah, Lugat, Sihan, and Kejaman ethnic groups lived at the middle section of the river; and with Penan and Seping living in the upriver area. After the 19th century, the Kayan and Kenyah migrated to the Balui river from the present day Indonesian Kalimantan. Meanwhile, the Iban people migrated from the West Kalimantan to the lower Rajang valley while conducting shifting cultivation. With introduction of new tribes in the Rajang basin, inter-ethnic battles became rife. Some ethnic groups fled to Balingian and Tatau rivers to avoid the conflict.[6]

In the late 19th century, the Brooke government started to construct forts along the Rajang River in order to ensure political stability in the Rajang basin. The Chinese then started to move inland and settle near the forts and trade various forest products with the natives. In 1884, Belaga fort and trading market was constructed. It soon became the political and economic centre of the district. Subsequently, government offices, schools, a bank, a police station, a mosque, and churches were built around the fort.[6]

During the Brooke era, sago processing industry was an important economic activity amongst the Melanaus living along the coastal areas. It was also an important revenue for the Sarawak government. The Sago products were sent to Sibu before being exported to overseas due to better port facilities in Sibu. The Ibans in the Rajang basin exchanged jungle produce with Chinese and Malay businessmen for salt, beads, metal, porcelain utensils, earthen jars, and coins. Seeing the success of Chinese planting rubber trees and pepper vines, the Ibans also started to grow these cash crops. Later when the Chinese ventured into the logging industry, the Ibans left to work inside timber companies, thus leading to urban migration of the Ibans. Meanwhile, the Kayans and Kenyahs grew rice, cash crops such as rubber, coffee, and groundnuts, and collecting jungle produce. The Penans and Punans maintained their own nomadic way of life. They brought jungle produce, woven items, and handicrafts on certain market days for sale.[5][note 17]

During Sarawak Communist Insurgency, Sarawak government set up the "Rajang Special Security Area" on 25 March 1973. A day later, Rajang Security Command (RASCOM) was formed as a result of co-operation of civil, military, and police command headquarters. These measures were taken to clamp down communist activities in the Rajang delta.[7][8]

In 1997, Bakun Dam construction was started at the upper Balui River. Many longhouses and villages in this area was resettled at the Sungai Asap resettlement scheme. Sungai Asap is connected to Bakun Dam through the Bakun road.[6]

On 6 October 2010, heavy rain have caused a massive landslide that brought logs and debris down into the Balleh river, tributaries above Kapit, and then into the Rajang river. It was estimated that the volume of the logs and debris had exceeded 300, 000 m³. This logjam had also affected the Igan river. The log debris, stretching 50 km long, had reached Sibu on 8 October. The logjam had caused transportation difficulties for the people living alongside the river and dead fish were also seen on the river.[9] As on 2 November 2012, Global Witness revealed that the logging operation of Interglobal Empire, a subsidiary of WTK group of companies, in the logging concession T/3476 was responsible for the landslide into Melatai River which subsequently blocked the Rajang River.[10] Similar logjam recurred in early 2017 at the upper reaches of the Balui river.[11]

In September 2020, due to heavy rain in the upper tributaries of the Rajang river, there were flash floods at the low-lying areas in Kapit, Song, Kanowit and Sibu.[12][13][14]

The major economic activity in the upper reaches of the Rajang River is logging. Among the type of wood that are extracted for exports are: Ramin, plywood, Kapur, Meranti, Keruing, and Belian. Rice is the dominant crop among the middle part of the Rajang river. Trading of Engkabang fruits was prevalent in the 1970s. Other agricultural activities in the Rajang basin are: rubber and pepper cultivation, poultry domestication, and vegetables planting.[3][note 18]

Trade

The Rajang Port Authority in Sibu

Rajang Port Authority (RPA) is the main regulatory body to coordinate the trade activities of all the five river ports along the Rajang river. RPA serves to provide maintenance, adequate and efficient port services for all users of the ports. It is located at the Sibu port operation centre[19] Sibu and Sungai Merah can be assessed via a shorter route through Paloh river where the distances from the mouth of the river can be shortened to 82 km and 92 km respectively.[19] In the year 2012, RPA recorded a total revenue of RM 30.1 million[20] although its total cargo throughput went down from 5.0 million to 3.2 million tonnes from the previous year.[21] The 5 river ports along the Rajang river (arranged by their distances from the river mouth) are:[19]

• Tanjung Manis (30 km, maximum Gross tonnage (GT): 32,000, mainly for handling logs and timber products)
• Sarikei (49 km, maximum GT: 3,000, mainly for handling agricultural products and consumer goods around Sarikei area)
• Bintangor (66 km, maximum GT: 2,500)
• Sibu (113 km, maximum GT: 10,000, mainly for handling timber and agricultural products)
• Sungai Merah (Near Sibu, 116 km, maximum GT: 2,500, mainly for handling fuel oil products)

Tourism

View of Rajang river during sunset on the Lanang bridge in Sibu

Pandaw River Cruise was started on 1 July 2009 in order to boost tourism activities along the Rajang River. It was a nine-day cruising starting from Express Wharf Terminal of Sibu to Pelagus Rapids Resort in Kapit. The tourists can go hiking and visiting long houses and towns during the ride.[22] However, this programme has been terminated in March 2012 because of logistical and operational difficulties.[23][24] During 2017 Visit Sibu Year, longhouse visits along the Rajang River was promoted as an ecotourism product. Crocodiles which are living by the river banks became the mascot for the event.[25]

Ferry crossing the Rajang River in Bintangor.

Speedboats and longboats are common at Kapit wharf terminal.

The town of Sibu can be assessed by oceangoing vessels for 80 miles (130 km) while an additional 100 miles (160 km) of the river can be assessed by shallow-draft craft. The remaining parts of the river which leads into the Sarawak interior can only be assessed by small canoes.[1] Speedboats and longboats are the major form of transport between Kapit and Belaga. Transportation above Belaga to Balui River requires longboats.[16] Rajang River also serves to transport logs down the river.[16] Some areas in the interior are only accessible through river during the monsoon season. Meanwhile, for the towns located at the downriver, market merchants have to take care of their own belongings from being flooded.[3][note 19]

Logging operations by Sarawakian Chinese timber companies are rampant on the upstream of Rajang river. A major study conducted along the Rajang river from May to December 2004 found out that the main channel of the Rajang river was turbid except for smaller tributaries due to logging operations. The water transparency was about 4 cm to 5 cm at that time. Based on Taxonomic richness index, the stretch of upstream river between Kanowit and Belaga river is recovering from logging 15 to 20 years ago. The stretch of river downstream from Lebaan to Selalang river is considered unclean because of rampant logging operations by Sarawakian Chinese timber companies in the upstream river.

• List of rivers of Malaysia