A trip back to Sarawak, the Land of the Hornbill, from 4 to 18 October 2003.
After almost nine years away, I finally set foot in Sarawak again. I had last served there from 1990 to 1994, and in that time the state has changed a great deal in development and progress. As our plane came in to land at Miri on 4 October, I spotted two RMAF Nuri helicopters ferrying personnel on operational duties to Limbang, Bario and Bakalalan. It brought back memories of my own operational tours to Long Semado and Bakalalan in 1990 and 1992. Back then we rehearsed boarding the Nuri over and over again, because of the weather, technical problems and the like.
Miri and Bintulu
I landed in Miri at 12:30 on 4 October and waited for Roszaidi, who was nowhere to be seen. While I waited, I bumped into two classmates from intake 29: Muhamad (3 RRD) and Saiful (20 RAMD) at Miri airport. We were chatting when Roszaidi finally turned up, nearly five hours later. That night we stayed at Kem Sri Miri.
The next day Roszaidi, his wife, Asin (Roszaidi’s friend) and I toured Miri city and made it as far as Lutong and Kuala Sungai Baram. We had planned to go on to Brunei, but without passports we only reached the immigration complex. We did cross the Baram River on the newly completed bridge, and be warned: the toll is RM10.00. The Penang Bridge, ten times longer, charges only RM5.00. We came back through the ferry terminal at Kuala Sungai Baram.
That afternoon we set off for Bintulu, or more precisely the Golden Hope Plantation, about 73 km from Bintulu and 18 km inland from the main road. The journey took around five hours. It was quite an adventure at times, bumping along the rough gravel road in Asin’s Toyota Hilux 4×4, but we arrived safely at the Assistant Manager’s Bungalow, where Roszaidi lives.
Life on the estate is not as easy as life in town. Facilities are basic, there is no tarred road, and the dust is part of the deal. Roszaidi lives here as a bachelor. His wife had just finished her studies and had been posted to teach at a secondary school in Bintulu, where she rents a house. Even after almost a year of marriage they still act like a courting couple. I spent about ten days on the estate, following Roszaidi on his rounds and helping him solve the problems that came up. Looking at it, estate work is a bit like soldiering: the systems, the management of workers, and the pressure to meet production targets. Being told off is part of the routine, that is simply how the private sector works.
It was here that I finally understood the phrase “planters’ order”, which we often use in the mess or on Saturday work days. It comes from the dress of the white planters after independence, many of them former British army officers serving in the plantation sector. That is also why assistant managers and above are still addressed as “tuan” (sir) by the workers. Some of the older estates still keep a mess for their executive staff.
More than a week at Roszaidi’s house was not boring at all. I could still get online with a CDMA wireless phone and listen to ERA radio through ASTRO. Although Roszaidi left the service about seven years ago, his military spirit is still strong, and he is very active in the Territorial Army (Askar Wataniah). He showed me photos from the annual camp organised by 510 AW Rejimen in Sibu. Because of his interest in it, I taught him to build a website for Bn 2 Rej 510 AW, Bintulu, and helped him register the domain. I also taught him Excel formulas, and scanned some of the cadet photos he has kept.
To fellow classmates in Sarawak: if you are passing through Miri or Bintulu, get in touch with our classmate who has been serving in Bintulu for about four years. He is very busy, so he has not yet been able to contact the others in Sibu and Kuching. He also plans to hold an open house and a mini gathering at his home in Masjid Tanah during Hari Raya. The date and time will be announced later.
To Roszaidi, my heartfelt thanks for all your help while I stayed at your place. I know it was a lot of trouble, but with nowhere else to go, I had to impose on you… haha.
Sibu
On 14 October it was time to move on to Sibu. My original plan was to head straight back to Peninsular Malaysia after finishing my “mission” in Bintulu via Miri, but for the sake of our classmate Majin in Sibu, I changed it. I got off the express bus in front of Kem Oya, Sibu. Majin was waiting for me in town, about 25 km from Kem Oya. Thanks to Shamshor (intake 29), I waited for Majin at Wisma Perwira, 3 RRD. There I also met Mohamad (intake 29), who is the PMC. Nobody had to ask about accommodation or meals. By coincidence the CO of 3 RRD, Lt Col Masood, whom I already knew, dropped by the wisma, and we chatted for a long time that afternoon.
I stayed in the guest room at the 3 RRD Mess, and Majin was very attentive throughout. He was my tour guide for the whole of my time in Sibu, and he even drove his Honda Accord recce car, which looked almost brand new. To repay his kindness, I reinstalled the operating systems on his desktop and notebook computers free of charge. I also set up his internet connection and topped up his Jaring account. From now on he has no excuse not to visit the TJP 54 website and keep in touch by email with the other classmates.
Shamshor, who was limping on his right foot from a football injury, insisted that I come and eat at his house. I am not one to refuse an invitation, so I accepted. The rice was delicious, cooked with Bario rice, the first time I had eaten this kind of rice in about 11 years. The side dishes were plentiful too.
At around 12:30 on 16 October, Majin and I visited Lt Col Azmi, a former JL of TJP 54 who is now Chief of Staff at the 9 Brigade headquarters in Sibu. He was very busy, but he made time to receive us, and we took a keepsake photo together. I was told he will be posted to the Peninsula next year. He also wrote a few words in the visitors’ book. To classmates who have some free time: send him an email to say hello.
To Majin, Shamshor, Mohamad and all the officers of 3 RRD, thank you a thousand times for everything you did for me. It will always be remembered.
Kuching
Then it was time to go to Kuching. I had first planned to take a Concord boat from Sibu to Kuching along the Rajang River, enjoying the scenery on the way. But time was short, so I took a MAS flight and landed at Kuching airport (LTA) on 17 October. Majin had already prepared the rebate form for me. I arrived at around 11:30, and Ridzuan was waiting for me. I had hoped to meet Shahrul Belolok too, but he had been called into an operational area to bring his men out. Ridzuan had planned to show me around the city I had left nine years earlier. Many changes are visible, in step with the pace of development, but the view along the waterfront is still as beautiful as it was before.
I also visited Satok market to buy salted terubok fish, a tasty souvenir for the family. That night we enjoyed the famous grilled chicken at Satok Bridge, though in the end we ate at Kubah Ria. Thank you, Ridzuan, for treating us.
There is a great story here. Ridzuan may well be the first TJP 54 classmate to own a Mercedes. I had pictured a three-tonne truck, but what he has is a Mercedes with “grasshopper eyes”. Whatever the model, it is sophisticated and as luxurious as its price suggests. I was used to the hard seats of a Proton Saga, a fully manual car, so it was a treat to sit in the plush seats of a Merz with automatic seat adjustment. Congratulations to him and his wife Roselyn on their hard work and success in the insurance business. If any classmate needs to renew their car insurance, get in touch with Ridzuan. He is now also building up a general insurance practice, and he passed the exam at the first attempt. Hard work pays off, but he says it was no walk in the park, and it took a lot of sweat. For classmates who are still not stable financially, his advice may be worth following. As we say, if we don’t look after each other, who will?
While I was at Ridzuan’s house, I also replaced the faulty internal modem in his computer and added more memory to it. It ran noticeably faster with the extra memory and could finally connect to the internet. I also configured the TJP 54 email account in his email software, so it is now easier for classmates to email him, and he will certainly reply.
About five hours before my flight back to the Peninsula, Shahrul phoned to say he was on his way home. I managed to visit him at his quarters in Kem Semenggo with Ridzuan. Parked under his house was a Toyota Hilux 4×4 Turbo. Wow. It is quite a machine, and the East Malaysia allowance clearly doesn’t go far enough to cover it. But when you go back to the Peninsula, watch out for the road tax!
Soon it was time to fly to KLIA. Ridzuan and his family, and Shahrul and his family, all made time to send me off at Kuching airport. Thank you, friends, for all your help. Every moment became a memory that will be treasured for a long time.
That is the Sarawak Tour, shared by the webmaster. Although I am now just a civilian, the bond between us as TJP 54 classmates will never be broken, and this website is our meeting place. Please visit often to keep up with classmates across the country and abroad. Use the email, the discussion forum and the guestbook we have set up. OK friends, sayonara!