Express boats still rule Rajang

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THE mighty Rajang, the longest river in Malaysia, is the only link for the people in Kapit to the outside world. This Divisional headquarters deep in the heart of Sarawak has no road or air links to any town.

VITAL ROLE: Express boats are the only means of mass transport in Kapit.

The only way to get out of Kapit or go to it is by river transport aside from the very occasional chartered helicopter flights.

Until the advent of the express boat, a trip to Sibu 100 nautical miles downriver would entail an arduous half day journey on a ‘motor chalo’ the lumbering wooden cargo boats that doubled up as passenger ferries.

Once the ‘motor chalo’ was the king of the rivers but since the introduction of the sleek aluminium alloy hull express boat that can zip through the water at a top speed of up to 30 knots in the 1968 they have been reduced to become the ‘mules’ of inland water transport — carrying cargo to settlements along the river.

Express boats cut travelling time on rivers drastically —     the half day trip between Kapit and Sibu now takes just three hours.

A foray further inland up to Belaga, last town along the Rajang, would take another four hour, a journey which entails nerve wracking roller coaster rides through rapids along some stretches of the upper reaches of the river.

Every day from the crack of dawn till late mid afternoon the main wharf of Kapit where express boats depart and berth is a hive of activities.

The officer-in-charge of the Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) Kapit office, Mohd Faidzul said every day the express boats make at least 16 trips to cater for commuters between Kapit and Sibu while several more ply  upriver to Belaga.

The first boat to Sibu departs Kapit at 5:45 am and then on there is boat leaving Kapit or arriving from Sibu every half hour until the last trip from Kapit at 3.15pm.

Each boat can take up to 100 passengers and the average passenger load is 50 to 60 per cent per trip which means each day at least 800 people travel in express boats between Kapit and Sibu.

During festive season this number could easily swell to more than double that number with boats making extra trips and overloading by some.

Being entirely dependent express boats for their travels, it was only natural that the recent tragedy of an express boat capsizing at Ulu Tatau caused quite a stir among the people in Kapit.

The people in Kapit are acutely aware of the risk involved in travelling by express boats but are resigned to the fact that they have no other alternative.

For many the failure by the government to link Kapit by road to the rest of the state is an old issue and a source of frustration.

A Kapit resident said, “For years we called on the government to construct a road from Sibu to Kapit but our pleas fell on the cry fell on deaf ears. The government never bothered about our plight. Each time we board the boat, we are helpless and put our lives  in the hands of the skipper hoping nothing untoward happened.”

Ah Sien, a former express boat attendant between Kapit and Sibu added that there were risks travelling in an express boat.

“If you talk about risks, there are many. It could be human error, submerged logs, river and weather condition, poor visibility or mechanical faults like steering rod jamming up and navigational radar malfunction which can cause serious accidents. I am not trying to scare people but this is the reality.”

Ah Tien spoke more kindly about the express boats. “Relatively the express boat is safe. Accidents also happen when you travel by bus or planes. In fact travelling by boat can be pleasant and relaxing.”

Yunus from Mukah was philosophical about the risks accepting that accidents can happen ‘anywhere anytime’.

However, whenever he travelled he would look out for the lifejackets and steel himself for any eventuality.

The danger in travelling by express boats lurks even      before a passenger gets on board. District Officer Simon Japut Tiok said, “There are risks everywhere, not just inside, you also face danger when boarding or     disembarking from the boat. I’m concerned about the clear ‘walk-way’ for passengers embarking or arriving at       their destination. Look at Kapit/Sibu jetty, when the boat berths, everyone rushes on board and disembark at the same time. The worst culprits are the cargo handlers with big loads on their shoulders obstructing the smooth flow of the passenger.”

“Another danger is sometimes express boats berthed far from the jetty so you’ve to hop across two or three other boas to get to the wharf. If the water is calm it is not too bad but during high tide, the boats can sway      making it dangerous to step from one boat to another.     Early this year, a foreign tourist fell into water while disembarking from the boat,” he added

Pensioner Alexander Julai is always apprehensive boarding an express boat.

“I make sure I call family member and close relative so that in case of emergency at least they know where I am,” he said.

The passengers often contribute to the danger by insisting on placing their luggage near them  blocking the aisle and exit points of the boat when they should put them on the roof of the boat.

In time of emergency the blocked exit points and cluttered passageway in the boat could prove fatal for those trapped in the vessel.

However, despite the people’s misgivings, records show that travelling by express boats is quite safe.

Before the recent Ulu Tatau express boat tragedy which claimed 13 lives, the last accident involving express boats was in 1991 when two express boats collided in the heavy early morning mist near Sibu.

Both boats sank in very fast and 34 people perished in that accident, most of them trapped inside the vessels.

This good safety record sometimes lulled passengers and operators into complacency until tragedy strikes.

To maintain safety the Sarawak Rivers Board requires safety jackets must be placed under every seat and overloading is strictly prohibited.

Ah Teh, one of the express boat skippers in Kapit said, “In case of emergency, there are four exit doors and all windows can be forced open. The maximum number of passengers tally with the number of seats available.”

On the condition of the boats he added, “The Marine Department checks the express boats annually. Only those fit to sail could have their license renewed.”

The biggest selling point of express boats is their speed but it comes with a cost — a gargantuan fuel bill!. With the present fuel prices, for a return trip from Kapit to Sibu each boat would consume at least RM1,700 worth of fuel.

The operators charge each passenger RM 20 (economy class), RM 25 (business class) and RM 30 (deluxe). At this rate they would not be able to make any profit but charging higher fares would be too big a burden for the people.

As the boats are the only means of mass transport for the people in Kapit, the government has to step in to solve this dilemma by subsidising the diesel for the express boats.

There are no immediate plans to build any road to Kapit and so the express    boats will continue to rule      the waters of the mighty Rajang.