KUCHING: It has been 10 years since boatman Haili Birin, 57, crossed the Sarawak River carrying residents from across Kuching city centre to get necessities and work.
Haili took about three minutes to carry a maximum of 10 passengers across the calm river of about 300 metres, with a single-engine boat he worked from 6 am to 6 pm seven days a week as long as his body still could do the rowing.
“Bot penambang (boat service) is a source of income for me. Usually I spend RM5 for the petrol per day.
“For me, this bot penambang still strikes a chord in the hearts of local passengers and tourists.
“To connect tourists from Waterfront to Gersik, taking a bot penambang is an alternative option and an experience that should be tried for those coming to Sarawak,” he said.
“Tourists prefer to use bot penambang to go to the other side to buy Sarawak layer cakes (kek lapis) and also ikan terubok masin (salted terubok fish) which are food items and handicrafts that should be taken home by tourists as souvenirs from Sarawak,” he added.
Haili admitted that boat operators were now in a dilemma due to declining demand, despite the rapid development of Kuching city.
A survey by New Sarawak Tribune found that the atmosphere at Pengkalan Gersik Boyan Jetty was rather gloomy.
Haili really hopes that this unique service does not become extinct due to modernisation.
Meanwhile, for Arbi Junmut, 39, he started taking bot penambang since 2019. By offering a fare of RM10 per passenger, he brings passengers to enjoy the beauty around the Sarawak River starting from the Pengkalan Ceko area to around the Sarawak River.
The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building (DUN) and the Darul Hana Bridge line the journey of passengers, who use the boatmen’s services as an alternative to the road.
“With the Darul Hana Bridge, I can still take tourists ‘on patrol’ around the Sarawak River using bot penambang.
“Most of those present at the Darul Hana Bridge mostly come for recreation and some of them come to enjoy the beauty around the bridge,” he added.
“It is hoped that COVID-19 will disappear from the world and tourists can travel to our country and help our economy recover in line with Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030).
