Julau


Julau is a town, and the capital of the Julau District in Sarikei Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. The district population was 34,500. The population is dominated by Iban as well as Chinese especially the Fuzhou.

Etymology

History

In 1853, James Brooke was able to take over Rajang River and its surrounding settlements from the Brunei Sultanate. A person from Xiamen named Limah Din was the first Chinese to arrive in Julau in 1929. He settled near the mouth of the Julau river and started acres of rubber plantations. He then used his home to start a trade business with the natives in Julau. In memory of his role in opening up Julau, a road is now named after him as Limah Din road. The Chinese started business activities in 1936 at the mouth of the Julau river between Julau and Nanga Meluan. In the same year, the Brooke government set up a fort at a hill in Meluan in order to defend itself from the Iban attacks led by Penghulu Asun. In 1938, the Brooke government formally put Julau under the jurisdiction of Ng Meluan. The trading of rubber sheets and Engkabang fruits between the Iban and the Chinese was the major economic activity in Julau.
During the Japanese occupation of Sarawak,there were some Iban people who took advantage of the power vacuum and went downriver and perform raiding activities. Therefore, the Chinese in Julau decided to cooperate with other more friendly Ibans to start patrolling and protecting the people. Besides, several Ibans decided to let the Chinese to open up their lands for the cultivation of rice, corn, and tobacco. In 1953, the Bao Hua cinema (宝华戏院）was opened. However, in 1980s, due to the wide of availability of television sets, the cinema was closed down. In 1954, there were 22 shophouses in Julau. However, in 1965, all the shophouses were burnt down in a fire; while the land where the shophouses were built are left abandoned today. In 1955, a hospital, a telephone department, and a village council was set up. In 1957, a dormitory for the civil servants was built. In 1957, the first row of five concrete shophouses were built. In the same year, the Julau village council started to install power station, electrical wires, and light bulbs, replacing oil lamps. Motorboat companies were set up to connect Julau with other towns along the Rajang River such as Machan, Kanowit, and Sibu. In 1960, Julau businessmen started a pipe water project where river water was pumped into shophouses and homes. The water project was later taken over by the government water board.
In 1963, Malaysia was formed. Road conditions were improved. This significantly shorten the travelling time from Julau to Sarikei and Sibu. In 1970s, Julau bridge was built. Motorboat companies have to close down their businesses due to reducing number of customers. In 1967, the first government secondary school in Julau was set up. Students from other rural areas such as Entabai, Pakan, and Meluan came to study here. In 1970s, Julau water board, telephone department, agriculture department and police department were built. Previously, Julau was a sub-district under the jurisdiction of Kanowit District. In 1973, Julau was upgraded into a district and is put under the administration of Sarikei Division.

Government

Julau is located at the intersection of Kanowit and Julau rivers. Julau is located at 66 km from Sarikei town, 48 km from Bintangor, 39 km from Kanowit, and 60 km from Sibu.

Demographics

The first Christian missionary in Julau was spread by Liu Yang Xin in 1946 when she completed her studies at Singapore Nanyang Girls' High School. She started a Sunday school during her free time. However, the Sunday school stopped operating when she was transferred back to Singapore Nanyang Nanyang Girls' High School in the end of the same year. After that, intermittent Christian missionaries were sent here from 1948 to 1950. Only in 1958, a permanent christian missionary was tasked to visit Julau once or twice a month to host Sunday worship services. In 1971, Julau Methodist Church was established. A Methodist kinder-garden was established in 1988.

Place of Worship

;Christian
;Muslim
Major economic activities in Julau are: black pepper, rubber, rice, and fruits farming. Other economic activities include: retail, logging, and services. Julau is better known for its black pepper production.

Transport

For people from rural areas, their major mode of transport to Julau is plying through the rivers.
;Land
Public Bus
Personal Vehicles
;Water
There are many remote places in Julau that have not reachable yet with land transportation and boat is the only solution for them to go there.

Other utilities

Education

The first primary school in Julau was set up in 1946, named Wen Ming primary school. It was hosted inside a catholic church. In 1950, the school was migrated into a new shophouse. In 1951, a formal school building was completed. All the pupils from Wen Ming primary school were migrated into the new school building. At the same time, the school was renanmed as Yuk Kung primary school. In 1956, the school formally accepts subsidies from the Sarawak government.
;Pre-School
;Primary School
The first school was started by Christian Missionaries. After the World War II, a Mission School called Roman Catholic Mission opened publicly in the 1930s. This school is the original of today's Julau St. Alphonsus Primary School or SK St. Alphonsus Julau.
In 1951, Julau's Chinese also want to start their own school which then called Julau Yuk Kung Chinese National-type School or SJK Yuk Kung Julau.
The following years shows more primary schools are built, they are:
;Secondary School
In 1966, SMK Julau started its operation in SK St. Alphonsus with only two classrooms. In 1970, SMK Julau moved to a new site which is the current site, Lembah Hilir Sungai Julau. The site was once belonged to Datuk Temenggong Banyang Anak Janting before he sold it to The State Government in 1968. On 22 March 1973, SMK Julau was officially launched by Yang Berhormat Tun Hussien Onn who was the Education Minister at the time.
SMK Julau did not provides any sixth form of secondary education, referred to as "Form 6". Students from Julau who want to continue their study in Form 6 to get a STPM's certificate have to either travel to the school in other districts such as SMK Meradong and SMK Bandar Bintangor by public bus or stay in hostel provided by those schools.
SMK Julau No.2 was built to support the need of Julau people in education especially for those who come from rural area.

Healthcare

;Clinic
Before a clinic was built, Julau people need to go to the nearest clinic available, especially in Kanowit & Sarikei to get their medical needs. Currently, there is only one clinic established in Julau.

Culture and leisure

Attractions and recreational spots

There is a weekly Sunday market in Julau where people will gather here to sell a variety of agricultural products.