Kapit | |
---|---|
Town and district capital | |
Bandar Kapit | |
Chinese transcription(s) | |
• Simplified | 加帛 |
![]() The Kapit town skyline | |
Coordinates: 2°01′0″N112°56′0″E / 2.01667°N 112.93333°E | |
Country | ![]() |
State | ![]() |
Division | Kapit |
District | Kapit |
Area | |
• Total | 15,595.60 km2 (6,021.49 sq mi) |
Population (2020) [1] | |
• Total | 65,800 |
• Density | 4.2/km2 (11/sq mi) |
Website | kapitdc |
Kapit is a town and the capital of Kapit District in Kapit Division, Sarawak, Malaysia on the south bank of the Rajang River. The district comprises 15,595.6 square kilometres and as of 2020, it has a population of 65,800.
Kapit is accessible by boat (slightly more than 2 hours from Sibu by express boat), light aircraft, and most recently by road. [2] Reaching Kapit by car and bus from Sibu takes about 1 hour 30 minutes or about 1 hour from Song. It is the vibrant commercial and social center for the middle Rajang River catering to the longhouse communities and timber camps. It is an excellent base for exploring nearby longhouses or for arranging trips to the Upper Rejang and Balleh Rivers.
During the reign of Rajah Charles Brooke, a "Fort Kapit" was built in Kapit in 1880 to prevent the Iban from migrating up-river and attacking Orang Ulu settlements. [3] With the security provided by the fort, the area surrounding the fort was settled by Hoklo (Hokkien) Chinese in 1880, additional Hakka Chinese immigrants arrived in 1906, and Fuzhou Chinese in 1919. The Hokkiens worked as labourers while the Hakkas worked as farmers before venturing into businesses. Hock Leong Tieng Temple was built by the Chinese in 1889. Tai San Ten Association was formed in 1935 to serve the interests of Hokkiens and Hakkas. [3] In 1924, a peace treaty was signed between the Iban and the Orang Ulu people at Fort Kapit, thus ending the hostilities between the two tribes permanently. [4] In 1925, "Fort Kapit" was renamed as Fort Sylvia, after the wife of Rajah Vyner Brooke, Rani Sylvia Brooke. [3] The fort had withstood floods in 1887, 1934, 1961 and 1983. [4] On 28 January 1934, Kapit experienced the most severe flood in history with water level as high as 162 feet (49 m). [3]
In 1941, at the time of the Japanese occupation, Kapit only had two rows of 37 shophouses. The town was completely destroyed by allied bombing during the war.[ citation needed ]
On 15 February 1962, 51 elected Iban chiefs had a meeting in Kapit to discuss the terms and proposals of the formation of federation of Malaysia, [5] before the Cobbold Commission came to Kapit to assess the people's sentiment there. The meeting produced 13 resolutions that agreed to the formation of Malaysia as long as the resolutions were fulfilled. [6] [7]
Built in 1880, Fort Sylvia once housed the Kapit district office and a magistrate court. After 1973, it housed the Kapit Divisional Office. [9]
Kapit is located 140 km upriver from Sibu along the Rajang River. [3]
Kapit has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with heavy to very heavy rainfall year-round.
Climate data for Kapit | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.9 (85.8) | 30.0 (86.0) | 30.7 (87.3) | 31.3 (88.3) | 31.6 (88.9) | 31.4 (88.5) | 31.4 (88.5) | 31.2 (88.2) | 31.2 (88.2) | 31.1 (88.0) | 30.7 (87.3) | 30.4 (86.7) | 30.9 (87.6) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.1 (79.0) | 26.2 (79.2) | 26.6 (79.9) | 27.0 (80.6) | 27.2 (81.0) | 26.9 (80.4) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.7 (80.1) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.5 (79.7) | 26.3 (79.3) | 26.7 (80.0) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22.3 (72.1) | 22.4 (72.3) | 22.6 (72.7) | 22.7 (72.9) | 22.9 (73.2) | 22.5 (72.5) | 22.2 (72.0) | 22.2 (72.0) | 22.4 (72.3) | 22.5 (72.5) | 22.4 (72.3) | 22.3 (72.1) | 22.5 (72.4) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 382 (15.0) | 332 (13.1) | 353 (13.9) | 288 (11.3) | 277 (10.9) | 261 (10.3) | 201 (7.9) | 307 (12.1) | 307 (12.1) | 372 (14.6) | 333 (13.1) | 455 (17.9) | 3,868 (152.2) |
Source: Climate-Data.org [10] |
Immaculate Conception Church was first established in Kapit in 1882. The church celebrated its 130th anniversary in 2012. [11] Kapit is home to many races like Iban, Chinese, Malay, Bidayuh, Kenyah, Kayan, and Melanau. People in Kapit may be Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, or other religions.
![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2018) |
Kapit is reachable by express boats from Sibu plying the Rajang river. Kapit is also reachable through one hour ride by express boats from Song. Kapit river transport is served by the Kapit express boat terminal. [3] As car transportation has been open to public, express boats became a risk to operate, as customer no longer opt express boats as their main transportation, which could see the demise of local express boat industry in the future. [12]
As of October 2020, Sibu-Kapit road has been open to public, although it is not complete yet. It is accessible by car and takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach there. As road need further refinement for completion, the road is subject to daily opening schedule, which is three times a day. Its opening times are 6.00–7.30 am, 12.00–1.30 pm and 5.00–9.00 pm. It is scheduled to fully operate by 1 December 2020, [13] but due to frequent road travel usage by local, the road completion experienced delay, also factoring the safety of road environment by the working contractor. [14]
As of December 2021, the road finally completed, with the full completion of Yong River Twin Bridge No.1 and No.2. Express bus shuttle service to and fro Sibu and Kapit available less than a month, on New Year 2022, after the road completion. [15]
While the main road, connecting Sibu and Kapit, has completed, the main problem due to lack of available alternative road previously not faced in Kapit is congestion in peak hours, making it harder for motorists to have a smooth and consistent journey. [16] In anticipation of such cases, federal government announced an alternative road would be built at some point, [17] although as of April 2022, there's still no word regarding the project.
Operating Route | Operator | Remark |
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Kapit-Kuching | BusAsia | |
Kapit-Sibu | BusAsia, Kapit Bus Express, Lanang Bus | |
Operating Route | Operator | Remark |
---|---|---|
Poh Kiong-Kapit bus stop | Kapit Bus Express | |
Kolej Profesional Mara Kapit
![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2018) |
There is a museum housed inside Fort Sylvia today. The museum is managed by Tun Jugah foundation. The museum exhibits the photographs and documents depicting the early history of Kapit, photographs and mementos of Jugah Barieng (an Iban paramount leader), Iban costumes, textiles, mural paintings, and Sarawak amber carvings. [18] There is another museum housed at Kapit civic centre. [4]
Built in 1898, Hock Leong Tieng temple is one of the oldest heritage buildings in Kapit. The temple was built with materials and workforce shipped from China in its early days. During World War II, the temple was spared from bombings by Japanese or Allied forces. [19]
Rumah Bundong is one of the oldest longhouses in Kapit. It is located 40 km from town centre. The 50-metre-high Wong Tinggi waterfall is located at one hour walk from the longhouse. [4]
Teresang Market is the largest market in the town of Kapit which sells a variety of daily necessities. It opens from 4 am until 7 pm. [3] Local handicrafts such as rattan products and colourful bead bags are also sold here. [4] Kapit town square is surrounding with shops selling everything from noodles to ropes. [20]
Kapit is known for its Empurau fish which can sold as high as RM 500 per kilogramme for its rarity and unique taste when being served as an exotic dish. Dishes such as Riang and Rampo are fishes and shrimps cooked using leaves from the forests. A plant called Tubu is used as the natural flavour enhancer. [4] Kapit is also known for its "kasam babi" (preserved pork) and "kasam ikan" (preserved fish).
Pelagus Rapids resort is located at one hour boat ride from Kapit town. The resort was closed since 2012 due to low occupancy rate. [21] [22]
The Iban language is spoken by the Iban, one of the Dayak ethnic groups, who live in Brunei, the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan and in the Malaysian state of Sarawak. It belongs to the Malayic subgroup, a Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family.
Sibu is a landlocked city located in the central region of Sarawak, Malaysia. It serves as the capital of Sibu District within Sibu Division and is situated on the island of Borneo. Covering an area of 129.5 square kilometres (50.0 sq mi), the city is positioned at the confluence of the Rajang and Igan Rivers, approximately 60 kilometres from the South China Sea and 191.5 kilometres (119 mi) north-east of the state capital, Kuching.
Simanggang is a town and the capital of Sri Aman District and Sri Aman Division in Sarawak, east Malaysia. Located on the Lupar River, it is 193 kilometres (120 mi), a three-hour drive, from Kuching, the capital of Sarawak. It is a trade center for the timber, oil palm, rubber, and pepper of its mostly agricultural district.
Sarikei is a town, and the capital of Sarikei District in Sarikei Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. It is located on the Rajang River, near where the river empties into the South China Sea. The district population was 56,798.
The Rajang River is a river in Sarawak, northwest Borneo, Malaysia. The river originates in the Iran Mountains, flows through Kapit, and then towards the South China Sea. At approximately 565 km long (351 mi), the river is the seventh-longest in Borneo and the longest in Malaysia.
Tatau is a town, and the capital of the Tatau District in Bintulu Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. The district's reported total population for Tatau was 30,383. Tatau became a district in 1987. Before that it was a Sub District under Bintulu District. The main spoken languages are Iban, Kenyah, Beketan and Punan.
Song is a town, and the capital of the Song District in Kapit Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. The district population was 20,046 according to the 2010 census. Song is situated by the banks of the Katibas River, a tributary of the Rajang River. It is an important stopover for river traffic going up the Rajang River.
Kanowit is a town and the capital of Kanowit District, Sibu Division, Sarawak, Malaysia, comprising 2,253.5 square kilometres. As of 2010, Kanowit's population is 28,985. It is built on the mouth of Kanowit River at the bank of Rajang River, approximately 174 kilometers from the coast of South China Sea. It takes 45 minutes to reach the town by land transport and an hour by boat from Sibu. The main ethnic groups are Iban, Chinese, Malay, and Melanau.
Betong Division, formed on 26 March 2002, is one of the twelve administrative divisions in Sarawak, Malaysia. Formerly part of Sri Aman Division, Betong is in the Saribas area. It has a total area of 4,180.8 square kilometres, and is the smallest of the administrative divisions of Sarawak.
Betong is a town in Betong Division in Sarawak, Malaysia, lying in the Saribas area. It was formerly under the Sri Aman district. Betong is located between three main rivers, Batang Lupar, Batang Saribas and Batang Kelaka, and covers an area of 4,180 km2.
Julau is a town, and the capital of the Julau District in Sarikei Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. The district population is 15, 333. The population is dominated by Iban as well as Chinese especially the Fuzhou.
Dalat is the administrative town of the Dalat district in Mukah Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. It is situated by the Oya River.
Lundu is a town and the capital of Lundu District located in the northwest of Kuching Division of Sarawak, Malaysia, and borders the Indonesian Province of West Kalimantan.
Punan Sama is a small village (longhouse) situated along the Rajang River in Sarawak, Malaysia. The longhouse's previous name was "Lovuk Tepeleang". The majority of those inhabiting the longhouse are Punan, with a few Sekapan, Kejaman and Lahanan, as a result of inter marriage.
Bintangor is a town, and the capital of the Meradong District in Sarikei Division, of Sarawak, Malaysia. Situated along the Rejang River, Bintangor was an express boat services hub connecting between, Sarikei town and Sibu city in the 1970s up to the early 1990s. As road connections between these towns became a more prominent mode of transport, the waterway of the town died down.
Rentap, also known as Libau Rentap, was a warrior and a recognized Iban hero in Sarawak during the reign of the first White Rajah, James Brooke. His praisename, Rentap Tanah, Runtuh Menua translates from the Iban language as 'Earth-tremor, World-shaker'. His famous and frequently quoted slogan was "Agi idup, Agi ngelaban" which translates into "Still alive, still fighting".
Pakan is a small town in Pakan District, Sarikei Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. The district population estimates was 17,600.
Selangau, Sarawak, is a small town located by the Pan Borneo Highway. It is also located by Batang Mukah, a river which flows to the South China Sea. It is located approximately 74 km (46 mi) from Sibu city, 84 km (52 mi) from Mukah town and 134 km (83 mi) from Bintulu town. Selangau town is the administrative centre for the Selangau District.
The Fort Sylvia is a historical fort in Kapit, Sarawak, Malaysia. Built in 1880, it was renamed after Rani Sylvia Brooke, wife of Rajah Charles Vyner Brooke, in 1925. During the 1960s, the fort housed the District Office and the District Court House, and later the Resident's Office when Kapit Division was formed in 1973.
Sarawak exhibits notable diversity in ethnicity, culture, and language. The Sarawakian culture has been influenced by Bruneian Malays of the coastal areas. Substantial cultural influences also came from the Chinese and British cultures.