KAPIT: First Infantry Division Commander Major General Datuk Ranjit Singh Ramday recently visited Bintulu, Belaga, Kapit and Sibu.
Wilfred (centre) explains something to Ranjit (left) and Daniel.
(From left) Rashidah, Muhammad Daniel, Ranjit, Preetame Kaur, Wilfred and Muhammad Huzaimi in front of Fort Sylvia.
Billy explains the exhibits on Tun Jugah to Ranjit (left) as Daniel (centre) listens.
Among those in his entourage were his wife Datin Preetame Kaur Sucha Singh, Ninth Brigade Commander Brigadier General Datuk Muhammad Daniel @ Damien Abdullah and wife Datin Rashidah Hashim, First Division head of staff Colonel Muhammad Huzaimi Sabri and other senior army officers.
Arriving from Kuching and Sibu, they assembled at Bintulu before travelling along Bintulu-Bakun road to stop over at Sungai Asap Resettlement Scheme before proceeding for a sightseeing tour of Bakun Dam and spending the night at Bakun Resort.
The next day, they travelled by speedboat to Belaga and then to Kapit along the Rajang river.
Upon arrival at Kapit, they were warmly received by Malaysian Ex-Servicemen Association Kapit branch chairman Wilfred Billy Panyau and his committee members.
In Kapit, they toured the famous Fort Sylvia, where Ranjit was obviously attracted to the long list of Iban trackers who served in the British Army during the Indonesian Confrontation and Iban Rangers sent to Malaya during the Communist Insurgency.
Equally attractive to the visitors were the exhibits on the late Temenggong Tun Jugah Barieng’s personal collections and biography.
They were also fascinated by the exhibits at the art gallery and the making of the famous Iban Pua Kumbu and local handicrafts.
From Fort Sylvia, they went to Kapit Mini Museum at the civic centre where exhibits of local animals and birds, historical documents and so on were displayed.
In the evening, they visited Rumah Engking at Sungai Aman where they were given a traditional Iban welcome before being taken on a tour of the over 40-door longhouse by Tuai Rumah Engking.
The next day, they visited the wet market where vegetables and jungle produce are sold, Gelanggang Terasang to see traditional handicrafts and tasted the famous ‘roti canai’ at Gelanggang Kenyalang.
They left Kapit for Sibu in the afternoon before returning to Kuching.