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By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, July 16: Pemanca John Tambie wants the riverine village of Kampung Sungai Laru, which has existed since the 1800s, to be preserved as one of the 15 traditional Iban settlement villages in Kuching City.
Hailing from the village, the Iban community leader said his great-grandfather was one of the first few Iban settlers from Batang Sadong looking for greener pastures some 200 years ago.
“I am the fourth generation, and my great-grandfather came here looking for a place to plant ‘padi’ (paddy) for his people,” he said.
John said the community thrived well before Brooke’s era until today and that Sungai Laru was an important route as early settlers used it as a medium that connected them to the outside world in terms of transportation, communication, and socioeconomics.
“In the 1980s, the community’s dependence on the river began to decline with the growth of infrastructure development. Today, Sungai Laru and surrounding rivers in these areas are dirty and polluted. The government must do something to preserve the cultural heritage of the first few Iban settlers.
“We could turn this place into a tourist attraction. We could showcase the rich traditional heritage of the Iban culture to the world. We could even have an Iban-style homestay, and our river could be turned into an adventure cruise spot.
“Along the river, there is plenty of wildlife, and there are species of birds and aquatic life, even crocodiles. But we must make sure it is not polluted and clear of rubbish and debris,” he told DayakDaily during the launching of the ‘Kelestarian Usahasama Membersih Sungai’ programme in Kampung Sungai Laru.
Another reason for the government to intervene is that there are still 30 full-time fishermen who depend on their catch from Sungai Laru as a source of income.
Therefore, John urged the government to assist with inland fisheries programmes to boost their income.
“As a riverine community, there is also a need for a retaining wall to prevent erosion and a drainage system to overcome the flooding problem during rainy seasons,” he said. — DayakDaily
