Souveniors from Tasik Kenyana..

Cenderamata dari Tasik Kenyana...

The History - The "Titanic" of Kenyana

The Heritage - Kenyana Bazaar.

The Decorator - Tanduk Rusa...

The Designer - The splash of Tasik Kenyana

The Native - "Bemban" flower

The Survivor - The parasites...

The beauties - Teratai

The Crown - Rejang...

The farmer - Wild Fruits

The modernization - Young Sago

The Observer - Wild creepers....

Tiny World - The flower of Wild Orchid...

For new Generation - "Buan" fruit... cum flower..

The People - The strong Believer of life survival

Building The Future - SK Kuala Kenyana

When everybody know how to read and write..

More and more people know their rights, but unfortunately most of them still blurred on where to channel their dissatisfaction. This type of simple messages of course not an official complaint but I believe shall be taken into consideration by anybody concerns..

Maybe we have to rethink and change the orthodox believe on "The Strong Man Win" to a modern believe on "The Win-Win Situation" . At least we win it for our nature!
PEACE!!

Gold Arawana was in Room 1014...

Natural beauties Vs Man made beauties on Batang Rajang from room 1014, Kingwood Hotel, Sibu...

Paying for about RM 200.00 per night at this hotel worth for the priceless sunset view ....

By 5 pm, all the express boat assembled themselves at Sibu Wharf, ready for another tiring journey on the next morning....

The power of God is unpredictable.... Whatever the weather is, its has shaped Sibu to be as what Sibu being today...

Three days staying on the same room, this two boats still parked themselves here.. Please don't ask me why and even I don't want to know the reason...

A boat express on his way to Kapit, a journey for about 3 hours...


The swimming pool constructed on the river bank, I wish that I could swim in the river... mpphhh... think twice and I will prefer to swim on the swimming pool indeed!

Night view at Sibu, a living small town in the center region of Sarawak. The third city of Sarawak in the making....

Berhujung minggu di Tasik Kenyana...

Menyusuri keindahan hutan paya di Tasik Kenyana....

Memancing.... tidak...saya hanya berjaya memutuskan tali pancing yang saya pinjam dari salah seorang ahli rombongan.. he he

Saya pernah menerbitkan beberapa artikel berkaitan Tasik Kenyana sebelum ini. Dan hari ini, 24 Oktober, 2009 merupakan hari yang perlu diingati kerana setahun yang lalu, tiada apa-apa yang menarik untuk dilawati di kawasan ini. Malahan, bagi pengunjung amat sukar kerana tiada kemudahan pelancongan terutamanya tandas dan tempat rehat.

Berbeza dengan setahun yang lalu, lawatan kali ini sangat menggalakkan. Kemudahan telah tersedia untuk pengunjung yang gemar aktiviti menyusuri keindahan semulajadi. Dimulai dengan memandu dari Bandar Mukah melalui jalan berbatu selama lebih kurang 45 minit perjalanan, dan menggunakan bot menyusuri Sungai Sebakong dan seterusnya Batang Mukah memberikan pengalaman yang menarik.

Sampai di Tasik Kenyana yang juga merupakan laluan lama Batang Mukah jutaan tahun dahulu, adalah sebaris kedai kayu yang menjadi nadi kepada penduduk setempat membeli barangan harian. Di muara tasik adalah penempatan utama penduduk dan satu-satunya bangunan kerajaan yang ada di kawasan ini adalah sebuah sekolah rendah SK Kuala Kenyana.

Tasik Kenyana terkenal dengan berita yang dipromosikan oleh pihak kerajaan bahawa tasik ini telah menjadi habitat untuk beberapa spesis ikan yang dilindungi terutamanya Ikan Arawana.

Kepada yang berminat terhadap keindahan hutan paya bakau, Tasik Kenyana adalah tempat yang perlu dikunjungi di hujung minggu. Tiada keaslian 100%, kerana tasik ini dikatakan dikelilingi oleh ladang yang beberapa tahun giat dimajukan di kawasan ini. Bagaimanapun, keindahan hutan dan kemudahan beriadah yang disediakan oleh kerajaan diharapkan dapat menarik pengunjung ke kawasan ini.

Kepada pengunjung yang berminat adalah digalakkan untuk membuat lawatan berkumpulan dan membawa bekalan makanan sendiri dan menikmati sendiri keindahannya. Sesekali sekiranya bernasib baik, bolehlah berjumpa dengan penduduk tempatan untuk melihat spesis ikan-ikan di Tasik Kenyana yang disimpan di dalam sangkar untuk dijual. Kepada pencinta keindahan alam semulajadi tentunya bersetuju dengan Gold Arawana supaya aktiviti memancing hendaklah tidak dibenarkan sama sekali di kawasan ini. Dan yang paling penting sekarang adalah bagai mana untuk mengawet kawasan ini agar keindahan semulajadinya sentiasa terpelihara untuk tatapan generasi yang seterusnya kelak..

Berangkat pulang, ucapan terima kasih dan lambaian mesra wakil penduduk di kawasan ini memberikan seribu kepuasan kepada Gold Arawana dan rombongan yang selama lebih kurang setahun bersama merealisasikan sebuah projek yang diharapkan dapat menggiatkan pelancongan di kawasan ini. Jangan dibandingkan kepada kos yang dibelanjakan, kerana impak pembangunan yang disediakan adalah lebih bernilai dari kos itu sendiri. Walaupun kos projek adalah agak kecil, saya percaya bagi penduduk tempatan ini merupakan projek terbesar selepas pembinaan sekolah di zaman kolonial (agaknya) yang diterima oleh mereka setakat ini. Dengan langkah pertama ini, diharapkan kemajuan dapat dikecapi bersama oleh penduduk di luar bandar....

Seperti kebiasaan, gambar-gambar sepanjang ekspedisi adalah pencerita yang lebih baik dari Gold Arawana....

Menikmati keindahan semulajadi di tebingan Tasik Kenyana

Menternak ikan di dalm sangkar, idea kreatif penduduk di Tasik Kenyana

Papan informasi di Tasik Kenyana tetapi masih banyak rahsia yang perlu dibongkar dan belum dinyatakan di sini

Pengunjung di Jeti perhentian pertama sambil membaca informasi yang disediakan. Kamera? Emmmm......Wajib untuk dibawa melawat

Memerhatikan anak-anak ikan arawana dan kaloi yang mencari makanan di tebingan tasik...

Berjalan di atas laluan berbatu.... tanggalkan kasut untuk menikmati urutan refleksologi Kenyana

Kegembiraan dapat meluangkan beriadah dan melupakan hal-hal pejabat adalah kepuasan yang tidak terhingga

Berehat sebentar di hentian terakhir sebelum berpatah balik ke Pusat Informasi

Gold Arawana bersama En Hipani Alwi (Jurutera Bahagian, JKR Mukah), En Mohd. Junaidi (Timbalan Residen Mukah), En Narawi (Mahsuri Enterprise Sdn Bhd) dan Ketua Kaum di Tasik Kenyana dalam perbincangan ringkas..

Rombongan menikmati jamuan dan berehat sebelum berangkat balik ke Mukah...

Rombongan mengadakan "group photo" sebelum berangkat balik ke Mukah

Aktiviti memancing masih menjadi kegiatan utama penduduk tempatan. Seorang anak muda, sedang memasang umpan untuk memancing. Dapatkah kegiatan ini dihentikan untuk memastikan spesis ikan yang dilindungi sentiasa berada di Tasik Kenyana? Persoalan!

Ikan tapah seberat lebih kurang 1 kg, hasil tangkapan penduduk di Sg Sebakong, berdekatan dengan Tasik Kenyana. Minggu lalu dikatakan hari yang bertuah apabila seorang pemancing tempatan berjaya menangkap ikan tapah seberat 50 kg! Saya tidak dapat membayangkan betapa besarnya ikan air tawar sebesar itu....

Serikin - The Saturday Hypermarket of Sarawak

This is what I called Serikin Saturday Hypermarket. They attract thousands of visitors every Saturday.... good business indeed!

Serikin is under administrations of Bau District in Kuching Division, it is of course not "a place like no other"; a slogan for the Sarawak Tourism. There are another place in Sarawak which I know earlier as Tebedu in Serian. I never been there, but I was told that it was closed due to security reason.

Road tax and law are a day-off....

Serikin business is similar to what we have in Tebedu. A small town, surrounded by hilly area of Bau. Its even not fair to call it town, because the main business is only on Saturday and I am not very sure on Sunday. I have been there twice, first in weekday few years ago where I witness, Serikin is just an ordinary Bidayuh kampong. Travel in gravel road give impression that it might be due to security reason; the idea I get from the authority on the reason of why Biawak Road in Lundu, Sarawak was not upgraded for long time. Serikin, Tebedu and Biawak has similar face, located in the border of Malaysia (Sarawak)-Kalimantan (Indonesia).

Its too hot in the afternoon... should go earlier!

Thanks God, this time I have the opportunity to visit Serikin on Saturday. Surprisingly, I encounter a totally different situation. Driving about half an hour from Bau Town, all the roads up to Serikin are now tar-sealed road. Few locations are Police road block, give me a pleasure and assurance that I will be back from Serikin safely. Moreover, on the left and right of the roads are all types of vehicles, as I was drive at one of the busy road in Kuching City.

Serikin carpark... I think the JKKK easily to get thousands of RM every Saturday.. you even can park your car at first class (private home carpark) of course for a first class bill!

Arrived at Serikin, there was a big car park, I am not very sure either it is belong to private or government and I guess that it is managed by the JKKK. Who ever own this, I actually don't mind to pay them RM2.00 (for the whole day parking) as this I believe this is part of Eco-tourism industry for Serikin. I am proud to be one of the contributor indeed!

Turun harga sikit ya Pak!... or otherwise I go to other shoplah....

Walking down from my car, towards the open-temporary hypermarket is challenging.; its hot and human jammed. Thousands of peoples, I believe to be more than 20 races speaking in their own languages made the hypermarket merrier.

Everything for business... including of leeches...

Looking for anything? And you will find everything! Most of the products are brought by our friend from Indonesia, which are allowed to trade here only on Saturday. I should bring a lorry!

Everything...including of my favourite Manchester United's shirts...

Most people will judge quality on its value. That is not important here, in Serikin. In fact, please....do ask for cheaper price and demands. Or otherwise, you can go to other shop!

The lesson I get is that; government has really serious in promoting Serikin as the Saturday Hypermarket. Try to ask peoples, throughout Sarawak and they will tell you at least a little story about Serikin.

And I wish that more and more rural area so-called Rural Growth Center (RGC) to develop at Sarawak. Congratulations to the Serikin people for your excellent efforts!

Looking for souvenirs?

Balingian - The energy Town of Mukah

Aerial view of Balingian Town in 1990's...

Balingian is a low-profile town in Mukah, seems has no potential at the early years but suddenly turn itself to one of an important growing town for Mukah. Located about 60 km from Mukah Town, the town is slowly transform itself from agro products on oil palm plantation to an energy town for Mukah Division.

Balingian Bridge which will connect Balingian to Bintulu and other major towns in northern region of Sarawak

I was in Balingian for the first time in early millennium, witnessing this isolated cowboy town and of course my first impression is that: it is a hopeless sleeping town, where nothing seems to offer. I still remember, driving on the wavy road surrounded by oil palms and crossing the Batang Balingian by private wooden ferry for RM10.00 per vehicles plus another RM1.00 for every passengers. The worst is that, we have to cross without insurance cover and we have no other choice to choose.

Nowadays, roads are well upgraded and new roads are well-plan for Balingian. However, the contribution of river as one of the major highways in Sarawak is still maintain in Balingian.

By declaration of Mukah as a new division, Balingian has develop tremendously. First by upgrading the coastal road which link it to its mother town, Mukah and other major towns in Sarawak. Than slowly, other basic infrastructure, water supply and electricity where the long-waited dreams of longhouses and kampongs along Mukah-Balingian Road comes true. All of this happen in less than 10 years, and definitely have upgrade the lifestyle of the locals.

Mukah Coal Plant...

Other major projects in Balingian are Mukah Coal Plant, located about 30 km from Balingian Town. This of course produce huge impact and sacrifice on the natural resources along Matading-Selangau Road which is estimate to be supplied coal for the plant for about 40 years. Ohhh... I will be too old when the time comes!

The plant not only supply the electricity demands for Mukah Town but also the other nearby towns in central region of Sarawak. So the Mukah folks now has enjoy the excellent runs of electricity. I am among of them of course, while before we have to suffer the blackout or run off supply due to extra demands for the energy.

Aluminium factory along Balingian-Mukah Road...

By introducing of Sarawak Corridor of Renewal Energy (SCORE), Balingian already in front line of developments. The latest is the development of aluminium factory, about 25 km form the towns. The factory buildings reported had been completed and will be ready for operation.

Balingian Old Town... will it turn to itself a modern energy city?

This few years, there are rumors that Balingian has potential to be second (or maybe first) after Bintulu as his potential on petrol and gas industries. I don't have the official references to support this rumors. However, if it is really true, than Balingian will be the younger Energy City for Sarawak.

One of the interesting plaque at a coffee shop at Balingian... one way to show their hope?

Whatever developments bring by the government, hope that it will benefit the locals. More job vacancies, basic infrastructures, and upgrading of the hospital and schools. The other impact, of course I believe has been think deeply by the government are the pollution. However, I believe that anything that we produce will have the side impact.

Balingian New Township, empty shophouses for the time beings but no doubt will become a modern city in coming years. The only doubt is that either the locals will get the opportunity and sharing the benefits of the developments..... no doubt, many will strongly believed and say yes.
So, I do!