Part Two
The New Foochow Settlement of Sarawak
Part Two
Foochow settlement at Binatang
Binatang is situated on the left bank of the lower reaches of the Rejang River between Sibu and Sarikei districts. Most of the people are natives of Chiang and Chuan of Fukien province. The Cantonese came from Singapore.
The government set down both banks of the Rejang river in Sibu as Foochow settlements. Over time, and as more Fuchows came, no land was left for settlement. Therefore their leaders (Lau Ka Tu, Wong King Ho, Wong Swee Ing) made an urgent appeal to the government for more land to increase the cultivated area. The lower reaches of the Rejang river Binatang and Sarikei and the upper reaches at Kanowit and Kapit became reclaimed as Foochow settlements.
In 1908, Mr Wong Chi Hung, a native of Mintsing town in China, moved to Bintang and bought a garden from the Cantonese. He later sold the land and moved to another place because of his wife’s problems. Mr Ling Ming Lok then came to Bintang to buy a garden and planted vegetables in 1910. Gardens belonging to the Cantonese were taken over one by one by the Foochow. In 1923 he wanted to open up new areas in the interior of Binatang and asked Rev. Hoover to see the Resident. Rev. Hoover’s efforts were not successful even after ten discussions. Reverend Hoover went to Kuching (I assume to meet the Rajah), and the matter was successfully arranged.
At first, there were only ten families in Binatang. They were scattered among the rivers for farming. Three or four months later, the native Dayaks were plundering and shouting threats about the new settlers. Chinese gardeners were frightened and thought their lives might be endangered. They ran away to Sibu.
The Resident, a Mr Archer, appointed a District Officer, Mr Sousa, to investigate. The Dayak chief was ordered to find and arrest 12 Dayak men and put them in jail for two years. When the case was over, the Chinese men who had run away returned to their gardens and continued cultivating the land.
From now on, the Overseas Chinese living in Sibu and Saikei began to invest money in Binatang. In 1926, Mr Ling Ming Lok requested the Resident to investigate and divide the land behind Binatang town into five lots of 180 acres each. The Raj agreed, even building a highway through to Sungei Krupok. In 1927, Ngh Koh Yu obtained permission to develop the land, Sungei Sian. The Land Officer demarcated the piece.
In 1928, Ling Ming Lok wanted to open up Sungei Bakong for pepper planting. However, this project was obstructed by the Dayaks. The Dayaks lost the case in court, and the Chinese planted rubber trees.
Foochow Settlement at Sarikei
Sarikei, formerly a part of the Sibu district, is situated on the right bank of the lower Rejang and southwest of Binatang. It is a plateau with fertile soil suitable for cultivation. Many built their lives in the interior. Before the coming of Foochows, there were natives of Chiang and Chuan (Hokiens) and Kwangtung who had lived there for many years. They built their shophouses in the town and did business with natives, and earned immense profits.
In 1910, natives of Mintsing, China (Wong Chin Poh, Wong Ching Choon, Lau Yeng King and others) came to Sarikei from Sibu to buy boats and cultivate the land. Haji Omar, the Malay Chief, allowed them to open up Sungei Baju, a piece of land across the river (opposite Sarikei town), as their settlement. They built crude huts and felled trees to cultivate the land for gardens and fields. Green vegetables and betel were planted, and timber was sawn into planks for sale as their means of livelihood.
In 1915, Mr Wong Tien Poh, a native of Mintsing, returned to the south from his northern expedition. He, having received personal instruction from Mr Wong Nai Siong, liquidated his business at the mouth of the river and, accompanied by Wong Ching Poh, engaged a Malay guide who was conversant with local conditions to proceed to Sungei Krupok by boat. When he perceived that Sungei Krupok was scarcely populated, its hill a scenic spot, the water clear, the soil fertile and suitable for cultivation.
He petitioned the local Government Officer to grant him permission to develop the land. Meanwhile, the Rajah was on his official tour visiting Sibu, and he asked the American missionary, Rev. Hoover, to introduce him to the Rajah and state what he wanted before him. Verbal permission was made by His Highness, the Rajah, but no written permission had been obtained.
He asked his comrades (Wong King Hoe, Wong Ing Nan, Lau Ka Tu, Ting Choon Yen and others) to come and open up the land. Rubber trees were planted, and the land was named ‘Krupok Settlement’. Later Lee Han Ing, Lee Muk Hiong, and others opened up ‘Tiong Ann Settlement. Wong Kok Nguk, Ting Lieng Kek, Ling King Leong and others opened up Tung-Tak Settlement’. Ting Muk and others opened up ‘Hook-Hin Settlement’.
Unexpectedly, it was found out that the land partly belonged to native Pesaka land, so a lawsuit was instituted, and the Resident of the Third Division issued an injunction to suspend cultivation. Overseas Chinese fell into a panic, and Wong Tien Poh appealed in this case to the capital of Sarawak. By the good grace of His Highness, the Rajah’s permission was granted to concede the land under the jurisdiction of Sarikei. A Sibu Resident Office appointed a land officer to demarcate the boundary from Sarikei down to Yakar. The land was formally declared a Foochow Settlement.
There is a hill at Sungei Krupok producing a kind of ironwood. The timber is a hard and heavy (heavier than water) called red-wood (bel icui), and the hill is called red-wood hill. In 1917 Lau King Ming, Lau Pang King and others petitioned the government to reclaim the land as a settlement. Rubber trees were planted first, and pepper vines followed. The population increased daily, and now it has become a flourishing village. In 1926, Dayaks of Yakar arraigned Overseas Chinese for trespassing on their land. Mr Wong Tien Ooh appeared before the court to contest the case. He won, and another few hundred acres were added to the settlement.
The following year Nr. Wong Ching, the area headman, negotiated an agreement with the natives for opening up Smaya and Stingei Mulak for planting pepper vines and simultaneously, Wong Ching Poh developed ‘Polllower part as’jung-Tak Settlement. Ting Choon Yen, W Kang and Pang Hock Seng developed ‘Poh-Leh’ upper part as Peh Sien Settlement.
In 1932, the area headman again petitioned to open Meradom for farming purposes. That land is a plateau, and Chinese farmers lived in groups of different clans. Pepper vines were planted, and pepper gardens extend to several ten lis. The land is crisscrossed with many roads, and the sound of cock’s crowing and dog’s barking can be heard from one farmhouse to another.
Foochow Settlement at Kapit
Kapit is situated at the uppermost reaches of the Rejang River, a distance of over sixty miles from Sibu and a part of the Sibu district. At first, the district office was established on the left bank of the Baleh River. In 1880 it was moved to the present site, where over fifty shop houses were built. There were more than five hundred overseas Chinese, and the place is hilly. The temperature was between 23 to 27 degrees, and its local produce was abundant. Natives there belong to the families of Kayans, Punans, and Kenyans. When the Overseas Chinese first came, they mostly traded with natives. The traders were primarily natives of southern Fukien, except for a handful of natives of Kwangtung. The Foochows earned great profit.
Foochows first came to Kapit in 1921 and established a silversmith shop. Later on, more and more came. They all were small traders. In 1929 Government allowed Foochows to develop Silibeh area as their settlement. Over 400 people moved there from Sibu. Rubber gardens occupied an area of more than ten thousand acres. Tiong Ung Huong was appointed headman of Foochows, helping to deal with matters concerning the settlement.
Formerly the Overseas Chinese planted and tapped rubber trees. They needed a man to carry a gun to protect them from the natives. A conference was held in 1924 between the Chinese and natives. The meeting was a success. Thereafter, the Chinese and natives lived together peacefully, and business was carried out with good faith.
Foochow in Bintulu
Bintulu is situated south ofthe mouth of Bintulu River. It was formerly under the jurisdiction of Sibu but later transferred to the Fourth Division, Miri. The land is fertile, and the main product consists of belian timber, sago, and jelutong. Business there is fairly good, and it is all in the hands of Overseas Chinese traders.
In 1925 when Mr Ting Lik Huang, a Foochow and a clerk at the district office, perceived the place’s good scenery and mild climate, he wrote to his fellow Foochows to send people who were experienced and well-seasoned farmers to come to the place to investigate. It was found that the land was suitable for cultivation, as stated by him. Therefore many went there to open up the land. The local government there set down both banks of Sebauh River for Foochow settlement. Three hundred people came the following year, and three thousand rubber trees were planted. Now they have been tapped for more than ten years.
In the beginning, Foochows who went to Bintulu, besides planting green vegetables, were sawing belian timber as a means of maintaining their livelihood. Their main revenue was derived from the sale of rubber. In 1930 the price of rubber suddenly slumped. Great hardship was felt among all Chinese farmers. The local government gave out loans of several thousand dollars as capital to plant padi. When the padi fields were completed, they were ordered to build roads, and their wages were deducted to meet the loans.
Foochow settlement at Baram
Baram is situated in the upper part of the Baram River. Formerly it was the chief town of the Fourth Division. Then the Resident Office moved to Miri. The place is well watered with numerous streams and fertile soil. Chinese traders were mostly natives of Chiang and Chuan. In 1920 Hu Nguong Sung, a native of Mintsing moved there from Sibu to earn his living. After a stay of five years, he was well acquainted with the local conditions. When he discovered that the land there was suitable for planting, he applied to the government to open and buy it for settlement. Soon he returned to Sibu and again to China to recruit those with the same intention as him, to come to Baram to plant rubber trees. Later on, he again wrote letters to people to come to develop the land. There are more than 400 people now, and an area of two thousand acres has been developed. The settlement has grown larger and larger, and the local government constructed several ten lis of public roads. There are Catholic Churches and schools within the settlement.
Translator’s Note
When China was disgraced by foreign nations, many of the Emperor’s high-ranking officials persuaded the Emperor to change the administration system in order to cope with the new circumstances. The Emperor agreed to their suggestion, but before it was adopted, they were betrayed by Yuen Sikkai, who reported this matter to the Empress Tzu-His, who strongly objected to the new system and forced the Emperor into confinement. Six of the high officials were arrested and executed. They were Tang Su Tung, Yang Yeo, Lin Hu, Kang Kwang Gen, Yao Chin Siew, and Liu Kwang Tee.
From:
Dr Chiang Liu translated by Wee Toa Ping The New Foochow Settlement of Sarawak in the Sarawak Museum Journal, 1955
Our book The Sarawak River Valley: Early Times to 1840 is available on Amazon.Com
BorneoHistory.Net