Living on the margins of Miri's progress

Borneo Post

2 days ago

One of the farmers seen on his boat in the river, just outside his house.
WHILE Miri continues to flourish as a vibrant resort and oil and gas (O&G) city, small-time farmers living along Sungai Miri remain caught in a daily struggle for survival, relying almost entirely on the surrounding jungle to put food on the table.
In a squatter settlement located less than a 10-minute drive from the city centre, some 20 families still reside in modest wooden dwellings, with many without access to stable electricity supply, or proper sanitation.
The communities there, comprising mainly the Kayans, the Kenyahs and the Ibans, rely heavily on wild produce from the jungle and river for their livelihood.
Among them is 71-year-old Lawing Uchat, who begins his day well before sunrise, 'parang' (machete) in hand, as he loads an outboard engine onto a small wooden boat to forage for 'midin' — the popular wild ferns much loved by Sarawakians.
'For one day's work, I can collect maybe three or five kilogrammes,' he tells thesundaypost here.
'Buyers in town pay about RM25 per kilogramme, sometimes less.
'It's not enough considering the fuel, time and hard work that we have to endure, but we have no choice.'
The 'midin' and other jungle ferns such as 'pakis' and 'paku uban', make up the bulk of what these small farmers collect every day.
At around 9am, Lawing — often accompanied by his wife, Ering Lupa, 65 — ensures that they return home to their squatter settlement in Pujut Corner with the ferns.
'The boat ride usually takes about an hour. Once we arrive, we start sorting (the ferns) right away.
'This takes about one to two hours — we must be quick because we have to sell the ferns at the 'tamu' (farmers and jungle produce market) before noon; otherwise, there won't be any customers left,' says Lawing.
Lawing (centre boat, back) and wife Ering, in front of him, with other farmers during one of their outings in Sungai Miri.
On some days, the 'midin' is collected directly by buyers who have placed prior orders, mostly those operating restaurants that specialise in Orang Ulu cuisines.
Despite the relatively high price per kilogramme, Lawing says the yields are not always guaranteed.
'On some days, we come back empty-handed.
'If it rains too much, or during the dry season, the 'midin' becomes too 'thin', and buyers can be very selective.
'There are also days when the harvest is plentiful, but not everything gets sold — what remains, we take home for own consumption,' he adds.
Threats from 'kiambang'
In recent years, Lawing and other farmers in Pujut Corner have also been battling a growing threat – the invasive water hyacinths clogging Sungai Miri.
'These plants are choking the riverbanks and blocking our access to the jungle.
'Our boats can no longer pass through to reach the areas where we used to collect ferns,' laments Lawing.
Water hyacinths and other vegetation in the water block Sungai Miri, making it impassable to boats.
The invasive aquatic plant — known locally as 'kiambang' — has been spreading rapidly along Sungai Miri, with the situation in nearby Sungai Teniku, about a 30-minute boat ride away, becoming increasingly critical.
According to Lawing, the problem has persisted for nearly two years with little to no intervention from the relevant authorities.
'Because our boats can no longer get through, we have lost our main source of income.
'All these years we have depended on this river to reach our farmland — now we are completely cut off.'
In an effort to cope with the situation, Lawing and several other farmers occasionally carry out 'gotong-royong' (work party) sessions, using grass-cutters and 'parang' to clear enough of the 'kiambang' to allow their boats to pass.
However, they are struggling to keep up, as the plant grows rapidly and spreads easily.
'In the past, a private company operating nearby used to help clear the river, but we have not seen them for quite some time.
'We don't really know who is responsible for clearing and maintaining the river,' says Lawing.
The plight of these small-time farmers extends beyond the river.
For decades, families here have lived in makeshift houses — constructed from wooden planks and plywood boards for walls and flooring, with rusty zinc sheets as roofing.
Some units have no electricity supply.
Toilets are rudimentary — human waste goes directly into Sungai Miri.
Despite being located very near to the city centre, Lawing says his settlement continues to be overlooked amidst ongoing mega development projects.
'Miri is growing fast, but we are still here, struggling – it is as if we've been forgotten.'
Photo shows the squatter houses along Sungai Miri.
Delayed promises, infrastructure gaps
These challenges faced by the squatter communities at Pujut Corner are part of a much larger issue.
During the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting in May 2022, Pujut assemblyman Mayor Adam Yii said Miri had one of the highest squatter populations in Sarawak, with approximately 690 households in the Pujut area alone requiring proper resettlements.
He said the existing resettlement scheme, centring on allocating land to squatters, often failed to improve their circumstances.
Yii pointed out that with limited funds, many families ended up rebuilding houses using recycled materials, and were left without proper infrastructure such as roads, electricity and clean water supply.
'Furthermore, ageing drainages in early housing areas, including Pujut Corner, are unable to cope with Miri's increasingly frequent heavy rainfall, exacerbating flood risks,' said Yii, who also urged for immediate upgrading works on earth drains and concrete channels as part of a coordinated effort with the local authorities.
In light of these issues, Yii proposed an alternative – the construction of low-cost housing units to truly uplift living conditions of the squatters, rather than merely relocating them to land without any essential amenities.
Meanwhile, Miri MP Chiew Choon Man had, in October last year, revealed that more than 11,000 people in Miri were living in squatter settlements, despite the state's wealth in natural resources.
During a question-and-answer session in Parliament on Nov 2 last year, Chiew said the Deputy Minister of Local Government had revealed that 1,741 household heads, with a total of 9,462 family members, were living in squatter settlements in Miri.
He stressed the urgent need for a more comprehensive housing policy to address the needs of the people, particularly in Miri, and ensure that they could afford at least low-cost or affordable housing.
He also pointed out that urbanisation and development would often lead to housing issues due to a lack of available land compared to the growing population.
'It is crucial to plan and implement effective strategies to ensure that all levels of society, including those living in squatter settlements, can enjoy a comfortable and safe home.
'I will continue to raise this housing issue in Parliament to ensure that Miri receives the attention it needs for affordable housing,' said Chiew.
When contacted on the latest development regarding the relocation plan, Yii told thesundaypost that the resettlement programme was underway.
'The resettlement of squatters has already been prepared and arranged by the Land and Survey Department Miri.
'The programme will be implemented in due course,' he said.
On the issue of overgrowing vegetation along the river, Yii pointed out that the Miri City Council (MCC) would liaise and coordinate with the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) and the Sarawak River Board in the clearing works.
Meanwhile, State Minister of Transport Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, when met recently and asked about the matter, said that he would ask the DID to clear the vegetation.
A plank walkway leads to a squatter unit in Pujut Corner.
Persistent struggles
Lawing recalls hearing, years ago, talks about resettlement or low-cost housing schemes, but as with many situations before that, nothing has ever materialised.
'We're still waiting but in the meantime, we worry about losing access to the forests and the river.
'These are our only sources of income and food.
'For people like us, moving to town might sound good but if we couldn't go into the forests to collect 'midin', or fish in the river, how are we supposed to survive?'
Another pressing concern, says Lawing, is security, particularly regarding their outboard engines, which are essential for their daily work.
'There have been incidents in the past where the engines were stolen.
'If we're to move, there might not be a safe place to store our boat and equipment.'
Despite their hopes of relocating, Lawing points out one immediate priority – for the authorities to clear the river so that he and his fellow residents can resume foraging for 'midin' and other jungle produce to sustain their livelihoods.
At the same time, he and his neighbours continue to place their hopes in the government, particularly in the provision of a proper and permanent area to call home. Lawing Uchat squatter settlement Sungai Miri