The old Sg. Teku has almost completely disappeared. In the 1960's there was only one bus going to Sg. Teku to serve the teachers, students and people there. Most of the Sg.Teku villagers cycled to Sg. Merah and then they would take the bus from there if they had to do some official business in Sibu.
My classmates and I cycled to Sg. Teku to visit our classmate Ling Teck Chung in 1968. It was quite a thrilling cycling feat. It was a ride of 8 miles.
Life was not easy when the political situation was bad in the 1970's. Rubber tapping came to a complete stop and pepper farming was minimized. Many people moved to Sibu or elsewhere.
The Sg. Teku was settled by the Heng Huas in 1912.
The Heng Hua Methodists came 10 years after Wong Nai Siong brought 1000+ Foochow pioneers to Sibu. They settled in the northern banks of Sg. Merah and later moved further inland to Sg. Teku. They started a small settlement with probably less than 20 families.
The Heng Huas also started one or two wooden shop houses, servicing not only their own people but the neighbouring Ibans who started to call this place Pasar Teku. In fact Teku is the name of the river flowing past it.
The Heng Huas also started one or two wooden shop houses, servicing not only their own people but the neighbouring Ibans who started to call this place Pasar Teku. In fact Teku is the name of the river flowing past it.
The Heng Huas however called it Abu Garng, meaning At the Back of River. Interestingly, Abu Garng in Foochow is Ah Guok Gern (Lower Part of the River)
It probably started with just one or two wooden shops and Ibans would come here to buy salt, sugar, flour, canned goods after they sold their rubber sheets. It later became two rows of wooden shops.
Thus the Teku Area owed its origin to the Foochow Methodist Church leaders who impacted the Heng Hua group led by Rev Brewster. Today it is quite a thriving community with shops, new residential areas,clinics etc.
The late Rev Ling Kai Cheng wrote in his book (1964), "I cycled 8 miles to preach in the church there on Sunday circa 1930's. After church we had fellowship and every family took turn to host the fellowship and a small meal. We were really blessed." He would cycle the 8 miles back to Sibu in the afternoon. It must have been a lonely ride but he was a very brave man.
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