KAPIT: Travellers from Kapit or Song to Sibu or those returning to Kapit or Song are discouraged to drive in any type of vehicle because the chances of the vehicle getting stuck in slippery and muddy road is very high especially along the 23 kilometres private palm oil estate road after the junction at Ngungun, not far from Song to Ngemah.
Meanwhile, the 44 kilometres stretch of Jalan Kapit-Song even though there are muddy stretches, they are not that deplorable compared to the 23-kilometre Jalan Song to Ngemah as it is still passable by 4WD vehicles. Last weekend 60 travellers in 10 4WD pick-up trucks were having a hell of a time trying to drive through five extreme muddy stretches along a private oil palm estate road between Song and Ngemah.
By 9pm, two of the pick-up trucks stalled due to overheating. One of the vehicles was suffering from engine break down while some 20 travellers in six vehicles spent their evening on the road when their vehicles failed to get through the muddy and slippery road. It took nine hours 10 minutes for three vehicles with 15 passengers to arrive at Kapit at 11.10 pm after leaving Sibu at 2pm after going through the slippery and muddy road.
They were overjoyed to meet their family members who were anxiously waiting for their arrival before 5pm. Tuai Rumah Steward Saba of Datai Mas, Sungai Amang, his wife, and grandson who works in Singapore and currently on leave recalled.
“Last week we drove from Kapit to Kuching to pay our last respect to the late Tan Sri Celestine Ujang. It was a long journey from Betong to Serian it was raining heavily and we drove very slowly because of poor visibility although it was day time. We returned to Sibu the day before to take a rest. This afternoon after lunch we drive home.
We were stranded here (two kilometres from the junction to Ngemah) because those vehicles in front of us were struck in the mud,” said Tuai Rumah Steward Saba. “We brought along ‘hook and rope’ in case of emergency.
Those who managed to go through would help to pull the one behind in the spirit of ‘gotong royong.’ It wasn’t a good day for me because the radiator of my vehicle burst. I left the vehicle at the oil palm estate road and called my friend, a mechanic from Song to check,” he said.
During the present rainy days those who wish to drive to Sibu are advised to think thrice before planning the journey by road. However, if they must take the trip them they must get ready all the necessary tools and to travel in a convoy. The best and most comfortable means of transportation is still by express boat.
It takes three hours from Sibu to Kapit where the boat departed every hour from 5.45am to 2.30pm. Meanwhile, the trip from Kapit to Sibu by express boat is about two and half hours with the earliest trip at 6.30am and the last trip at 3.13pm. A boat ride is comfortable and affordable with the fares between RM25 and RM35. The passengers can also relax and watch movies on the journey.
