Dry spell puts longhouse folk in a tough spot as shallow river hampers boat trip

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Longhouse folk pull a longboat to get past Wong Memaloh.

KANOWIT: The shallow river is making travel difficult for some 2,000 longhouse folk from Nanga Jagau, Lubok Tanjong, Nanga Lakah and Rantau Lugai in Ulu Sungai Ngemah here.

The river is drying up due to the dry weather that has dragged on for about two months now, wailed a 48-year-old longboat operator who only wanted to be identified as Nyangguh.

“Other than the shallow water level, there are fallen trees and some dangerous ‘wongs’ (rapids in Iban) that make it tougher for us to go through the river.

“Even a skilled boatman will find it hard to navigate.”

He said the taxing situation made their travel time-consuming.

“Usually, it takes between six to eight hours to go upriver from my longhouse in Rantau Lugai to Kanowit town.

“Now the journey takes about 10 hours because we have to get off the longboat and pull it through shallow stretches and rapids.”

From Rantau Lugai to Kanowit town, there were a few dangerous rapids they had to pass, namely Wong Entekai, Wong Memaloh, Wong Silau, Wong Tarik Ili, Wong Aris, Wong Tibang and Wong Empeliau.

Another longhouse resident, Nyala, 75, said the rapids were a threat to their safety.

“We can only pray for our safety when using the river, especially while passing the rapids,” he said, adding this was despite their vast experience in negotiating them.

Anchar Bantin, a 56-year-old from Nanga Lakah, lamented their area was lagging behind others in terms of infrastructure development.

“There is no road to our area. We also have no electricity and treated water supply.”

Anchar said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced a plan to build a road from Nanga Ngungun to Nanaga Jagau when he visited Nanga Tada in February 2010.

“But somehow we do not know the latest development in the plan.”