Igan River Our Source of Life - Water is Life

In my previous post I did mentioned about the disaster in Rajang River and its tributary, Igan River. My village is along the Igan River. I think most of you know about the tragedy of Rajang River. The news appear in most of the newspaper local and internationally. I just want to share a few things about my village and how important is the Igan River for us living there.

Just a brief background about my village. My village is named Kampung Kebuaw based on the name of Kebuaw River. The people living here is mostly Melanau (Christian). The population maybe around 500 people (just my random estimation, for correct one, ask the District Office of Dalat/Daro??). Our village has NO ELECTRICITY SUPPLY, NO CLEAN WATER SUPPLY, NO ROAD (whether gravel road or asphalt road). You can see that three of the most important basic necessities are not provided by Sarawak government to our village (WHY????? I am not sure what is the main problem of the rural area development in our area – not listed in the federal/state budget??? – I don’t know). From this you can see that WHY IGAN RIVER is almost everything for us. We need IGAN RIVER for our connection to the nearest small town of Dalat and to Sibu town. First, IGAN RIVER is our needs for TRANSPORTATION. Second, since we don’t have clean water supply from the government, we rely so much to the RAINWATER and IGAN RIVER WATER supply. However, the water from Igan River is not clean and the colour is like “teh susu”, so we only use this water for our washing, bathing and for our plants (especially paddy). The main source for our drinks and consumption is from RAINWATER. Life is difficult without water from Igan River because if we use rainwater for bathing and washing we will not have enough water for our consumption. Third, FOOD SOURCES. Igan River provide us with fish, prawns, snails, nipah fruits etc. Our kampong having an estuary ecosystem so, sometimes fishes and prawns from the marine/sea enter our river. That is a little bit here and there about the importance of IGAN RIVER for us living at Kampung Kebuaw.

Alright, what impact did the disaster at Balleh River really affects us? Last night I call my mother. I just want to know how their condition at home is right now. The news I heard from her is really really make me sick and disappointed. She told me that the logs and wood debris is all over our river and the smells of the river is not that good because of the dead fish and other animals. The other thing is that, the water is soooo muddy. She didn’t dare to wash her cloths using the water because it will not clean it but makes the cloths dirtier. But they didn’t have other choices but to take a bath using the water because it is not raining so, no rainwater to use for bathing. However, she needs to keep the water in the container for a while till the entire mud settle at the base of the container. She is surprise of this incidence because since she is born in the village (she is born in 1942), nothing like this ever happens to this river.

So, that is the story I want to share for today. How disappointed I am with this thing happen to our source of life. Even though I am not there to see and experienced it by myself but I did know how it is feel when there is no clean water to be use there, at my home, Kg. Kebuaw.

P.s: To the Sarawak government especially CM, please step on the ground and live in the real world. Curses and curses by people of Sarawak that suffering because of your governance will not make you sleep peacefully at night. It will become nightmares for you, in your entire life.

But, I am a Catholic and I believe that there is always time for repentance and forgiveness. You will be in my prayer and all of us hope you will change for good and for our people of Sarawak.

Dear God, change this man heart, may his heart will be filled with full of love and compassion with other people around him especially all people of Sarawak under his governance. For you there is nothing impossible. Thank you Lord. Amen.  

Love,