Mukah


Mukah is a coastal town which serves as the administrative center of the Mukah District in Mukah Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. It is located by the South China Sea, about 2 hours by road from the city of Sibu. Mukah is also accessible by air by MASwings from Kuching and Miri. The duration of both flights is about one hour. There are also speed boats connecting the town of Dalat to Sibu. The speed boat trip takes approximately 2 hours.

Etymology

There are several versions of the origin of the name "Mukah". The word "Mukah" is similar to the Malay word "muka" which means face. It was said that the town was name after the face of a mysterious beautiful woman who helped three shipwreck merchants from Brunei. Another version was that a beautiful face appeared on the surface on the sea to fishermen. However, these does not explain on why the town adopted a Malay name instead of a Melanau name as the majority of the population here are the Melanau people. The Melanau word for face is "jawai".
Mukah town has statues of Ikan Merah and Udang that reflect the importance of the fishery industry to the town.

History

The Melanau people is the earliest indigenous group living in Mukah.The earliest documentation of Mukah can be found in the annals of the Majapahit empire where a place known as "Melano" was paying tribute to the empire. The place was then became part of the Bruneian Empire in the 13th century. Mukah was later sold to the Raj of Sarawak in 1860.
In November 1862, the Rajah Muda rescued several civilians from the Moro Pirates after a pitched naval battle off the coast of Mukah. During the fighting, Brooke's steamer named Rainbow sank four prahus and damaged one other with cannon fire. Over 100 pirates were killed or wounded in the engagement while Brooke, the bishop Francis McDougall and their Sarawakian followers, were mostly unscathed.

Government

Mukah and Dalat District Office is the governing body of the Mukah and Dalat districts, including the towns. The district office was established in 1947 as Native Local Authority. The district office then expands it power to Dalat, Oya, Balingian in 1981.

Geography and climate

Mukah town is located at the mouth of the Mukah River. Mukah is located on peat land that is still covered by peat swamp forests.

Demographics

In 2017, Mukah District had a projected population of 49,900.

Economy

processing and fishing are the two main economic activities in Mukah.
Since 2008, Mukah is the economic centre of Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy. Press Metal Sdn Bhd built its first aluminium smelting plant in Mukah in 2009.

Transport

Air

In term of air connectivity, Mukah is served by Mukah Airport. Mukah airport is only able to accommodate an 18-seater Twin-Otter aircraft. The airport operates routes to Kuching and Miri. An effort has been made to upgrade the Mukah airport.

Road

Mukah is linked to Selangau through the Mukah-Selangau road and to Bintulu through Mukah-Kuala Tatau road.

Other facilities

Education

Sarawak Mukah campus was opened in December 2002 in order to train enough manpower for Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy. Its campus is located at 7.5 km away from the town centre. Among the courses offered are Diploma in Business Studies, Diploma in Banking Studies, and Diploma in Plantation Management. Another tertiary education institution, Politeknik Mukah was founded in 2004. It offers courses such as civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and information and communication technology.
Maktab Rendah Sains MARA Mukah was opened in 2010. It is a boarding school that provides good quality education for selected secondary school students. SMK St. Patrick, the oldest secondary school in Mukah town and division was established in 1905. SMK Three Rivers was established in 1961 to serve the education needs of the people living in the Mukah, Oya, and Balingian river basins. SMK Mukah was opened in 1999.

Culture and leisure

Lamin Dana cultural Lounge is located in Kampung Tellian. It is a place where the residents of the village showcase their traditional arts, crafts, and authentic Melanau food.
A Melanau delicacy named Umai is one of the popular dishes in the town. It is a raw fish salad served with sago pellets. Sago is the staple food for the Melanau people. They usually takes sago together with fish, Sambal, and Ulam.
Mukah Kaul festival is held at the third week of April every year. It was a traditional ritual by the Melanau people for thanksgiving and continuation of good fortune by appeasing the spirits of the sea, land, forests, and farms.