River journeys are always exciting, like this eye-opening expedition via the Baram River.
By Leong Hon Yuen
IN the book, A Stroll through Borneo, British writer James Barclay wrote of his adventures in the deepest jungles of Sarawak travelling by foot and canoe. More than three decades later, Ashleigh Seow, 55, is planning to follow in his footsteps, or rather, paddle steps.
“We are on a fact-finding river expedition to replicate a voyage that was done in 1978,” explained Seow, who led a six-day river expedition with 14 other members of the Malaysian Nature Society. “We are going to canoe from upper to lower Baram River to see how people live.”
It might also be the last time anyone would be able to travel via this river.
Malaysia’s second longest river – the 466-km Baram in northeast Sarawak is the site of a proposed dam, one of 12 hydroelectricity power dams to be built by the state government and Sarawak Energy Berhad. The dam will create a 389 sq km lake slightly more than half the size of Singapore, submerging longhouses, native customary rights land and cultural heritage.
“If the dam is built to its full capacity, a part of the middle and the lower parts of the upper river will be flooded,” explained Seow, adding that the expedition also sought the views of the riverine communities.
This writer joined the expedition in Long Semiang, where we travelled by longboats to Long Moh as guests of 63-year-old Bilong Tingang.