For a better future
Sarawak shares a border with Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province or “Kalbar”, the acronym for the 147, 307 km² Kalimantan Barat which is larger than the East Malaysian state.
Our histories have been intertwined centuries before the era of Sarawak’s White Rajahs and arrival of Indonesia’s Dutch colonisers in Borneo 200 years ago. Yet there are more that needs to be done to bring the two entities together because we are two regions so close and yet so far.
Even though both Kuching and Pontianak have international airports, this is where their connectivity ends because both are subservient to the capital cities which are international hubs.
If they want to travel to the Western Hemisphere to the land of their former colonial masters — Great Britain and Holland respectively — Sarawakians have no choice but to rely on Kuala Lumpur and Kalbarians, Jakarta. As cocooned subjects of Rajah Brooke, we were happy with our lot until we were freed from the shackles of colonialism by the invading Japanese army during the Second World War.
For almost four years the Japanese taught us how to stand on our own feet but at a price — their beheadings were reminiscent of the days of the roving Sea Dayak headhunters which Brooke eradicated.
While the death toll of civilians and imprisoned Brooke colonials at the Batu Lintang camp was minimal, the Japanese wreaked havoc on the oil towns of Balikpapan and Tarakan with the killing and decapitation of hundreds of Dutch soldiers.
The massacre of more than 20,000 innocent civilians who were buried in several mass graves at Mandor was a bitter experience.
Even after the depraved killings of almost all the 20 or so sultans, members of the royalty or “Keraton”, businessmen, teachers and intellectuals, Kalbar continued to undergo many other bitter experiences after the war when Indonesia won their independence.
But after several generations of pain and misery, Indonesia is on the mend thanks to President Jokowi with a major plan for the 250,000 sq km Indonesian Kalimantan region which represents 73 percent of country.
In the meantime, since the independence in 1963, Kuching has grown from a backward riverine town whose people were quite happy with their hand-to-mouth existence into a mature, modern and burgeoning city.
Just across the border and about 100 miles as the crow flies, the city of Pontianak is also excited with the news that Indonesia will build a new capital in Kalimantan within the next decade.
However, inhabitants from Pontianak (570,000) — the fourth largest City in Kalimantan after Samarinda (727,500), Banjarmasin (625,000) and Balikpapan (557,000) — have drawn closer to Sarawak because of our better socio-economic status.
“We both have a similar language but a different style of presenting the language whether spoken or written”, said senior journalist Hanz Endie Pramana.
As a regular visitor to Pontianak over the last 20 years and long-time friend of Endie, I have learnt the intricacies and peculiarities of the locals to appreciate of our neighbours and it started with understanding the language.
For one thing, Bahasa Malaysia is not the same as the Dutch-influenced Indonesian language which can be confusing.
And if you want to use the toilet don’t ask the receptionist for directions to the “Tandas” because that word does not exist in the Indonesian vocabulary. Just ask for the “WC” or “Way Say”, the way the Dutch pronounce the alphabets or simply “bilik air” — wash room.
In reality the Indonesians are a courteous and tolerant people who adhere to the “Pancasila” — the five tenets — that forms the basis of unity for the country and infused the people with a culture of respect for others.
Endie, 41, who is the Jakarta Post correspondent in Pontianak said: “The five principles are inseparable and interrelated: “A democratic, cultured and unified country that believes in an almighty God and a government that cares for its people irrespective of race and religion.”
He is excited because Kalimantan is on the verge of greatness following President Jokowi’s announcement that the country’s capital of Jakarta will be moved to East Kalimantan within the coming decade.
Businessman turned Grab-driver Robinson Pangemanan, 55, who migrated from Menado in Northern Sulawesi to Kalbar 30 years ago to establish a small business, said that transformation that is taking place tremendously.
“Both Sarawak and Kalimantan have vastly improved modern road systems with three CIQ (Customs, Immigration and Quarantine) checkpoints at Badau-Lubuk Antu, Entikong-Tebedu and Aruk-Biawak outposts in Kalbar alone.
“You have an ongoing Pan-Borneo highway while we are in the process of connecting all the five Kalimantan provinces (called Propinsi) by expressways and rail.”
Indeed the connectivity within Borneo — the third largest island in the world — will hopefully become a reality by 2030.
