UTAR NEW VILLAGE COMMUNITY PROJECT

REPORT

NAME OF NEW VILLAGE:

KAMPUNG NANGKA甘榜纳嘉

SARAWAK

Project is carried out by:

DATE OF COMPLETION:

JULY 2012

Student Name Student ID Course Year /

Semester

1. Amanda Wong Shei Wei 0904231 Biomedical Science Y2S3

2. Low Sing Ho 0907543 Environmental

Engineering

Y2S3

KAMPUNG NANGKA

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ABSTRACT

Kampung Nangka is a new village which is located in Sibu, Sarawak. The main

ethnic groups of Kampung Nangka villagers are Ibans, followed by Melanaus,

Malays and Chinese. Initially, there was only one missionary school in Sibu which

was set up by the Catholic Church. It is the SMK Sacred Heart. The main economic

activity of Kampung Nangka villagers is agriculture - growing fruits and vegetables.

Besides that, the villagers are also involved in small businesses such as managing

sundry shops in Sibu town. Kampung Nangka is a well developed new village where

villagers have good access to public transportation and other public amenities.

KAMPUNG NANGKA

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INTRODUCTION

Kampung Nangka is a new village located in Sibu, Sarawak. It is a village

beside the Rejang River.

We visited the village head of Kampung Nangka. He is Mr Sahari, a Melanau

who is a healthy and caring old man. He is a sociable and highly educated man with

experience in army life. He studied in England and worked with the English army

before he returned to Malaysia.

He is now in his 60’s and his 3 children are married and happy. His youngest

daughter wasrecently married in 2010. His two sons are married with children. His

wife has passed away. He now lives alone in the village head’s.

KAMPUNG NANGKA

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EDUCATION

SMK KampungNangka

According to the village head, the first school in Sibu is a missionary school

set up by the Catholic Church. It is known as SMK Sacred Heart, namely Sacred

Heart Secondary, Sacred Heart (Bahasa Medium) Primary, Sacred Heart Chinese

Primary, St Elizabeth’s Secondary, St Mary’s Primary, St Rita’s Primary, HuaHin

Primary and Catholic High Private School. All these schools cater for the education

of approximately 7,500 students including Melanaus who live in Kampung Nangka.

Most of the villagers go to Sacred Heart Schools because of its location. It is the

nearest to the village.

The young Fr Aloysius Hopfgartner and Br Theodore Wagner built the first

school on 27 December 1902. This date is considered as the birthday of Sacred Heart

School and its associated schools.The first school was furnished with a few long

benches, a cupboard, an easel and blackboard, all made by Br Theodore.

KAMPUNG NANGKA

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By 1905, in conjunction with the changes taking place in Sibu town at that

time, the School moved to Lanang Road where the ice factory was situated until

recently.

Soon after, in 1907, the School moved once more, this time to Mission Road.

There the first substantial building for the School was erected. It consisted of a two

storey wooden building, the ground floor serving as the classrooms and the upper

floor as the dormitory. The first floor was a kind of attic. Although the whole building

was raised on high belian timber stilts, the water rose to the ground floor level during

high tide.

The subjects taught in the School by 1907 were:-

(a) English (Grammar, Composition, Dictation)

(b) Arithmetic

(c) Malay (Minimal)

(d) Chinese (Optional) in the afternoon

The daily routine was:-

8.00am until 11.00 am Formal lessons

1.30 pm until 4.00 pm Formal lessons

After the Catholic School, the Methodist school followed and then the Chinese

school 中华. In the early 20th

century, the Chinese population started to increase.

Some Malays came to Sibu and started to live in Kampung Nangka too. The culture

of different races started to mix when intermarried.

According to Mr Sahari, SMK Sacred Heart was an English medium school.

Students who were caught not speaking English were fined 20 cents. This school has

produced many industrious Melanau graduates.

KAMPUNG NANGKA

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ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

In the early days, agriculture was the main source of income for villagers in

Kampung Nangka. There were many orchards and plantations in the village. Besides,

there were villagers who worked as fisherman.

This scenario changed over the years. Currently, most villagers work in shops,

stores and offices in Sibu Town area.

KAMPUNG NANGKA

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TRANSPORTATION

In the early days, most villagers used the sampan (small boat) as their mode of

transport. Only the wealthy villagers could afford motor vehicles.

Today, villagers travel by cars, motorcycles, buses, bicycles and ferry. The

ferry is used to cross to the other side of Rajang River. There is regular two-hourly

bus service (No.9,SgMerah Bus) along the main road of Kampung Nangka.

Bus station & Sungai Merah Bus

Ferry

KAMPUNG NANGKA

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TYPES OF BUILDING

When Kampung Nangka was first established, people lived in longhouses

made of wood. Nowadays, many wooden houses are replaced by brick houses.

There is a Navy base near the entrance to Kampung Nangka. It currently

serves as a training center. A new hospital is located on the opposite bank of the river:

1 Malaysia Hospital. This hospital provides free medical services.

Types of buildings

KAMPUNG NANGKA

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SOCIAL &CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

Many aspects of Melanau tradition are no longer followed by the younger

generation. Nevertheless, traditional Melanau dance and dressing are still practiced.

In the past, marriages were arranged by the families and, to keep their wealth within

the family, there were many marriages between cousins.

Currently Kampun gNangka’s population is made up of Ibans, melanaus,

Malays and Chinese. There is intermarriage across the ethnic groups.

According to Mr Sahari, the Malanaus follow their own traditional law book

to conduct their traditional marriges. There is no restriction on whom a Melanau can

marry but they need to follow the tradition of the Melanaus.

Melanau Wedding

KAMPUNG NANGKA

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Melanau Law Book

REFERENCES

1. The background of SMK sacred Heart. http://brotheralbinus.com/History-of-

Sacred-Heart-School,-Sibu.php

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Information contained in this report was compiled by the University’s students on voluntary basis.

Although every effort has been made to check the accuracy of the report, the University accepts no

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changes on the information at any time without prior notice.

Should there be any queries regarding contents of the report, please contact:

Department of Soft Skills Competency

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