Nang Chong Stories School Teacher of Chung Cheng School

Owning an outboard Engine in the 1960's was a luxury to most Foochows living along the Rajang River, from Sibu to Kui Nga Kerng (16 Company). And Not many actually did own one.

Travelling than was mainly by motor launches or by rowing a small wooden boat.



An outboard engine is called 掛尾車 because it was an engine you can lift up, taken up and carried away. The tail of the engine can also be lifted when the boat is moving to avoid a shallow bottom.

As a school teacher and with a wife, also a teacher, my late Uncle Wen Hui owned a small boat and he would go to school as early as 6 am in the morning and return around 3 p.m.

Because my cousins were nervous to travel with him to school, they would rather walk to school, which took a good half hour. I would never be able to really squeeze out the reasons why they would not want a ride in the boat.

Later my uncle decided to move to the school as he had young children and accomodation was provided. Much later, he moved across river to Kwang Hua School to be principal. Those were the early days of his career.