Limbang no longer a sin city
Wednesday March 26, 2008
Comment by STEPHEN THEN
TheStar
LIMBANG: There was a time when Limbang town in northern-most Sarawak was known as the place for those seeking the pleasures of the flesh.
This town was said to be comparable to some of those sex-trade centres in Thailand and Indo-China, so much so that Limbang was given the dubious distinction of being the “sin-capital” of Sarawak.
Sign of progress: The three-star Purnama Hotel in the heart of Limbang
caters to tourist, businessmen, government officials and plays host to
social events.
Prostitutes could be found almost everywhere, bravely plying their trade on five-foot ways and street corners and hardworking girls were known to have brought in a four figure income.
Over the past decade, things have changed. The government, the enforcement authorities and the police have come down hard on these prostitution rings. .
Even though there are still underground prostitution networks, the situation is not as blatantly wanton as it was before.
The local and state authorities had indeed put in great effort to change the image of this town, which is sandwiched between the two borders of Brunei.
There were no more prostitutes brazenly soliciting for clients. . The sleazy motels and sex dens on the top floors of shoplots have been closed down.
Traditional: The native market in Limbang
caters to both locals and Brunei folks.
New blocks of office buildings and commercial complexes had sprouted in the town centre, where 10 years ago there were only a handful of old shop blocks.
Contemporary eateries have sprung up all over town, the riverfront eateries were upgraded, a three-star multi-storey hotel had been built and the roads widened.
New residential estates are coming up, and there is a new airport to boost travel.
The population of Limbang had also grown, from about 30,000 in 1990 to about 40,000 now.
Traffic congestion is starting to creep in, a sure sign of progress!
More visitors are visiting Limbang from neighbouring Brunei. In fact, Limbang, with its spread of seafood, local agricultural produce and quaint Kedayan-Malay villages can be turned into a weekend getaway to attract folks from Brunei, just like what Johor Baru is for Singaporeans.
Limbang state assemblyman Dr Abdul Rahman Hussein said the town did have tourism potential, but needed the development push.
“We have big plans for Limbang. We want to develop more industries and agricultural estates, improve our tourism and shopping potential because Bandar Seri Begawan (the capital of Brunei) is only 45 minutes away.
“In comparison, Miri is two hours away. Limbang should be able to overtake Miri as the prime destination for folks from Brunei if we can develop all our potential,” he said.
Brunei folks are drawn to Limbang because things are cheaper here. The exchange rate is a Brunei dollar to RM2.20.
They tuck into the local fare of ikan pahai (a type of smoked fish found only in Limbang, it is crispy and usually eaten with porridge), umbut (a type of jungle fern grown locally, best eaten with sambal belacan) and kanji (a processed beef meat dish).
The Brunei folks also love to buy the Bario rice (a type of fragrant rice) home. It only costs them RM5 a kilo here compared to 15 Brunei dollars per kilo back in their country.
The state government is also trying hard to offer water and electricity facilities to all parts of Limbang division.
There is also commitment to eradicate the pockets of poverty, especially in the outskirts of town.
The chase for development, however, should not strip Limbang of its old world charm.
This town still has the “kampung feeling” and, in the evening, one can see beautiful sunsets here.
Glorious view: With sunsets like this, it's no wonder that Limbang
is shedding its sin city tag and picking up a reputation as a tourist spot.
- By STEPHEN THEN /THE STAR
Malay and Kedayan-Malay villages still dot the banks of the Limbang River, giving the place a quaint atmosphere.
The Kedayans are direct descendents of the Brunei Malays because Limbang was once part of the Brunei sultanate, before the Brooke family conquered it.
Limbang has great potential to be a tourism hub and also as a transit link to Sabah. The authorities are heading in the right development path for Limbang.
A good start was removing Limbang’s “sin capital” image.