Small motorboats and several express boats being moored near the Sarikei Express Boat Terminal.
SARIKEI: It is normal to see people crowding express boat terminals and bus stations across the state come Gawai Dayak, or any other festival for that matter.
Here, however, one does not see such ‘balik kampung’ rush like those in Kuching, Sibu, Kapit or Belaga – a totally different scenario from it was more than 10 years ago.
A survey by thesundaypost at the town’s express boat and bus terminals found the atmosphere there rather quiet, without the hustle and bustle that would usually arise come the harvest festival.
A decade ago, both places would experience ‘festive chaos’, with passengers jostling one another whether to board their ride, buy tickets or load their items, as well as hawkers offering food, drinks or other trinkets to passers-by. Things got even more hectic when people did their last minute shopping before coming home to celebrate Gawai Dayak with their loved ones back home.
It seems that such lively scene has shifted to the town’s centre nowadays, with the streets packed with cars and other vehicles as the drivers struggle to find those rare vacant parking spots, judging from the observation made yesterday morning.
Motorists kept on honking and uttering ‘akai’ – an expression in Iban that roughly translates as ‘goodness gracious’ – which seemed to be the only way for them to vent out their frustration for having to go through such ordeal.
On the positive side, the situation somewhat reflects the vibrant socio-economic growth enjoyed by the folk here – consumers and traders alike.
Local businesses thrive with many shops attracting customers, while farmers coming here are able to reap profits from sales of their produce. Most townsfolk, having higher purchasing power, also own their own cars; thus, freeing them from being dependent on public transportation.
Moreover, the Dayaks in the town’s outskirts, as well as those from Julau and Pakan are able to celebrate a merrier Gawai Dayak, thanks to a good network of roads that reaches almost every longhouse across this division.
This could explain the almost non-activity at the express boat terminal here, which still caters to those travelling to areas across the Rajang River such as Muara Payang that remain accessible by roads.