Sibu Tales : Native Tobacco Trade

Tobacco was a significant cash crop in Sarawak and it was gazetted in the Sarawak Gazettes and various history books.

Chinese traders used to travel up river to buy the precious commodity.

When Sibu became a trading centre in the Third Division especially after the arrival of the Foochow pioneers in 1901, tobacco trading was still very significant. The Reverend James Hoover did not like his Foochow brethrens to smoke either opium and tobacco. He threatened to send them back to China. Slowly opium smoking decreased but tobacco smoking continued discreetly. Some Foochow elders continued to smoke their water pipe.

One of the earliest businesses in Sibu was the buying and selling of indigenous tobacco brought down by the Ibans and Kayans from Kapit area. The trading company was Chop Ching Chiong which was near the Sibu Tua Pek Kong wharf. It was very conveniently sited.

Tobacco plant and flowers, Pa Ukat

The towkay Sia Tiew Kie was a kindly man who would even weigh the small amount of raw tobacco delivered by a Kayan or Iban man himself in his shop. Most Foochows by the 1940's and 50's were very conversant in Iban, but not Kayan.

The " Ching" or daching used was a small one, similar to the one used by Chinese sinseh as tobacco was very light. But a small amount was enough to earn a man a good week's income according to my aunt Chiew.

Chop Ching Chiong was a big trading company with businesses in engkabang, rubber and rattan for example. They also had offices in Singapore.

There was even a Tobacco Fund in Sarawak during the Second World War. Wonder what it was for!!(Sarawak e-gazette)