HAVE YOU SEEN BABIRUSA?

Found in Sumatra.

MELANAUS AND SAGO PALM: CULTURAL CO-EVOLUTION

Sarawak especially around Mukah is sago country. The sago palm is much adapted to low lying flooded conditions and Sarawak has the largest of such land which is categorised as peat soil. The peat develops from dead vegetation over the centuries. 

Immature sago palms.

Cleared peatland to be planted with sago (pic). Peat depth can go down to more than 10 metres. It is noted that sago should not be planted where the peat depth is more than 5m. At deeper peat the palm does not produce trunks. This was the cause of failure of the sago plantations in Sarawak for 80% of the plantings were done at very deep peat.

After minimal drainage, the water table remains just below the soil surface. The soil is acidic. Under such environment few other crops can grow. Large scale plantings of oil palm have been carried out on fairly deep peat. It has been observed plantings on deep peat male flowers failed to develop.

Sago is planted using suckers produced from the base of mature trunks. They are nursed in ditches for a year before transplanted into the field. It takes about 12 years for the trunks to mature to 10 metres high when ready for harvest. The felled trunk is cut into 1m-length logs and transported via canals and rivers or lorries to sago flour factory. 6-month old planting (pic).

The Melanaus of Sarawak are the main people that make sago cultivation as their means of livelihood. As such their culture evolves around the use of sago parts - pith for starch-based food, leaves for roofs, baskets and other material culture, sago grubs for protein. 

FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH DURIAN AND COCONUT

Discovery of the durian and coconut, how the western traveller-adventurer depict them.

TUHAN BEGITU DEKAT

Lim Swee Tin

MAJESTIC MOUNT SANTUBONG, SARAWAK

Overseeing the mouth of the Sarawak River is a landmark Mt. Santubong.  It is a lonely self on the expansive low flat land.

ELEPHANT DRAWING

At one of the elephant sanctuary for visitors, Chiangmai, Thailand.

The paintings done by the artistic elephant are displayed in a souvenir shop.

TELUK BATIK - WHAT WENT WRONG

Teluk Batik and its adjoining areas (Pangkor Island, Lumut town, Teluk Rubiah etc.) is one of the most scenic spot in Perak. Hence, it is a popular weekend resort. However, its environ is much to be commented.

1. The beach is perennially littered with rubbish - plastic bottles, baby pampers, waste food items. 

2. The garbage disposal system - bins and collection not in order.

3. Food and souvenir stalls too many and  too close to the beach. They are shabbily constructed.

4. Poorly maintained and abandoned chalets means that they are not holiday friendly, poor design, lack facilities.

5. (2nd picture below) - Wooden chalets built on the hill slope not occupied. For one thing direct access for vehicles not available. 

6. The beach is concretised with over hard landscaping.

7. Overall, Teluk Batik is poorly maintained and much money has been wasted.

8. Recommend that the beach's environ to be overhauled by professional design, landscape, and maintenance. 

Empty chalets of hill slope.

Out of place concretised man-made lake (privatised) not in use. People just want to enjoy the beach, natural and free.