A perahu tambang operator on his way to pick up passengers at the Kuching Waterfront. — Bernama photo
KUCHING: Just like the trishaw is synonymous with the historic city of Melaka, the ‘perahu tambang’ or motorised sampan plying the Sarawak River is a unique feature along the Kuching Waterfront.
Along the one-km long Kuching Waterfront are a number of jetties where the sampan man will pick up and drop off passengers, offering a traditional mode of transportation that is popular with the locals and tourists.
Seman Bujang Sidi, 68, from Kampung Empila, Samarahan, has been earning a living by operating the perahu tambang for over 30 years and is a testimony of the enduring demand for his service despite the rapid development taking place along the river banks.
“It is clear that tourists are more likely to ride a boat than use land routes for sightseeing. Although it is only a few minutes’ boat ride, the passengers will feel excited when they are in the middle of the river with a beautiful view of the city,” he said when met by Bernama at Encik Omar Jetty here yesterday.
It is also a quicker way to reach the Malay villages or the Sarawak Legislative Assembly Building on the opposite bank at Petra Jaya.
Seman said he only operates the perahu tambang service for eight days in a month as a side-income business and does not consider the Grab or taxi service as a threat as the perahu tambang is one of the tourist attractions at the Kuching Waterfront.
The completion of the “Golden Bridge” that enables pedestrians to cross the river from the city centre to Petra Jaya also has not affected the number of passengers opting to use his perahu tambang service as boat operators like him are part of the legacy of Kuching, he said.
“However, we do not receive any subsidy from the government and we even bought the life jackets ourselves to ensure the safety of our passengers,” Seman said, adding that he hoped that the government can allocate a budget to help the operators to maintain their perahu.
Meanwhile, Siti Nurzuhaidah, 27, a tourist from Kuala Lumpur, said her first time on the perahu tambang was one of the most memorable experiences.
“I was so scared to step on the boat at first, but after being persuaded by my three friends I managed to be in the boat and reached the place where people can get the famous Sarawak kek lapis or layered cake at Kampung Gersik.
“My first night here was amazing as we watched the official launch of the Musical Fountain at the Kuching Waterfront on Sunday. It amazed me that Kuching has that attractive and beautiful lure towards tourists … the food here is so nice and, not to forget, the people here are so friendly and I found Kuching has its own uniqueness, especially in culture” she said. — Bernama