The New Foochow Settlement of Sarawak
Note: Dollar amounts are Straits dollars where 3 Straits dollars =1 USD; 1 picul=60kg
In 1900, Mr Wong Nai Song came to Singapore after an attempted coup in China. He harboured the idea of colonization but could find no place to settle. Mr Wong heard that Sir James Brooke was looking for Chinese to settle, he came to Kuching. He was introduced to the Rajah by Mr Ong Tiang Swee, a native of Chuan-chew and then a judge of the Chinese court.
An agreement of 31 articles was drawn up, and a settlement for farming purposes was reached. An area in the Sibu district had been allotted for Foochow settlement. Foochow was the chief town of the Foochow prefecture of the Chinese dynasty. A loan of $30,000 was procured from the Rajah. This sum was used as passage money for Chinese labour recruits.
After signing the agreement, Mr Wong went to Sibu and realized the area was bisected by three rivers-the upper and lower Rejang and the Igan river. He realized communication would be greatly hampered without boats. However, Sin Choo San to Sibu town can be reached by road. A place was selected near Sungai Merah (Sin Choo San stream) because the water was drinkable, suitable for bathing and fine for irrigation. Mr Wong brought the first batch of 72 labourers from Foochow on the 29th of the 12th moon. Six huts had been built, and the settlement was named New Foochow. In the beginning, the labourers planted sweet potatoes and green vegetables.
An organization was formed to repay the Rajah the $30,000 he loaned them. Wealthy Chinese were pressed to give to the Overseas Chinese funds. They also sent medical practitioners, built Chinese schools and established dispensaries to treat the sick.
On their arrival, farmers were given eight months’ provision. The produce of their first eight months of labour should be handed over to the company, and the subsequent farm produce belonged to them.
When the overseas Chinese first came to Sin Choo San, they dared not drink the water because it was brown. They had to dig wells and took the water from them. They complained the water was unfit, and a sample was taken to a Singapore hospital. It was found to contain too much carbonate of soda but was not poisonous.
As huts were built on both sides of the river, communication became very difficult. Those who wanted to cross had to swim. Ferry boats were chartered to help, and a bridge was constructed later where carts and horses crossed.
In December, Mr Wong brought 500 farmers from Foochow province in China. On the 24th, they left Foochow and arrived at Sibu on the 26. When they first landed, the huts were only good for keeping out the rain and sun. The grass was very tall, and when one looked out into the distant jungle, the local Dayaks appeared with their hair knotted atop their heads and covered with tattoos.
The Foochows found nobody to help them adjust. The bedding was incomplete, lack of tables and chairs, shortage of cooking utensils where they had to take turns preparing meals. When night came, giant snakes ate their chickens. People were stung by poisonous scorpions, and venomous flies sucked blood. They were constantly suffering from illness, and many died in their beds.
In 1901, overseas farmers from the towns of Kutien and Mintsing in China moved to either bank of the Rejang river, choosing to own a piece of land to live. Natives of Kutien chose the right bank, and two villages were formed called the upper and lower settlements. Natives from Mintseng chose the left bank, and their villages were named Upper South Village, Middle South Village, Lower South Village and New South village. Some were reluctant to leave Sin Choo San because of the bumper crop of fruit. “A Sin Choo San is the base of our land settlement please remember it forever”.
During the winter, Mr Wong received a loan of $10,000 from the Rajah to bring more Chinese to Sibu. The money was turned over to Mr Lik Chiang. Overseas Chinese had written home for plants and vegetables suitable for cultivation. Mr Lik absconded with the funds and made for Formosa with the sum of $7,000.
During this same time period, the production capacity was weak, and there was a danger of not having enough to eat. The majority wanted to return home, and Mr Wong became deeply worried. He contacted Mr Ling Chin Mie from Siniawan to come to Sibu to appease the Chinese. Many were affected by his sincerity and remained at their posts. Soon Mr Wong returned from north China and brought 540 people with him. They scattered into the villages on both sides of the river. Sweet potatoes and vegetables were planted to maintain their livelihood. Later, pepper vines were planted, but unfortunately, the price of pepper dropped, and the overseas Chinese economy was depressed.
Mr Wong had spent all the money the Rajah had given him and had no savings. So, he established a customs office at the Rejang river and ordered the overseas Chinese to pay taxes. Those who refused to pay complained to the Rajah, and Mr Wong was arrested. In 1906, he returned to China. Owing to a lack of ready cash, he prepared a list of debts handed to the government to be collected by the overseas Chinese. The Rajah agreed to this agreement. After Mr Wong’s departure, the Raj appointed an American Missionary, Rev. Hoover, as his successor. The times were hard for the Foochow, and the Government of Sarawak agreed to waive the repayment of loans.
Rubber prices were high, at $265 per picul. A group of Chinese entrusted Rev Hoover to purchase seeds and seedlings from Perak to be planted in the Sibu area. When the rubber trees were mature, they entrusted the men (Lau Tien Seng, Ling Toh Song and Ngieng Nguk Hin)to learn the art of rubber tapping. On their return, they taught others. Their livelihood was solidified.
Therefore they wrote home asking their relatives to come south. From 1914-1918 many Foochows came to Sibu. Some enlarged
their holdings and opened new gardens. Many mortgaged their title deeds to a Cantonese Bank to obtain loans to finance new rubber gardens.
After the Conference of Paris, which ended WWI, the price of south seas rubber dropped to $30 per picul. Overseas Chinese were unable to repay their loans. The Rev. Hoover helped them to tide over by approaching the government of Sarawak to obtain loans to repay their creditors. In the year 1924, the price of rubber became higher. It rose to $225 per picul, so an acre of rubber was worth 500-600 dollars. The Foochows competed with each other, buying rubber gardens or asking the Land office to grant them more land. The capital increased from several hundred to several thousand of dollars. Some changed their occupations from farmers to business. The Overseas remittance to the few districts in Foochow prefecture in China amounted to three million dollars annually.
Suddenly, the town of Sibu was reduced to ashes because of fire. The savings of many people were also affected. Many kept their money in shophouses within the burned district. A sum of $8,000 was allocated to relieve the fire victims.
In 1925, the price of rubber dropped from $265 per picul to $70-80 per picul, then to $30-$40 per picul, then down to $5 per picul. Many, many Foochows were ruined, and bankruptcies resulted. The government allocated funds to hire the unemployed to construct roads to save them from starvation. A board met in 1934 to stabilize prices.
Part two will be published next
From:
Dr Chiang Liu translated by Wee Toa Ping The New Foochow Settlement of Sarawak in the Sarawak Museum Journal, 1955
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