Speed boats were made either locally or imported. The Government departments in the 1950's and 60's had their own speedboats. Different categories of officers had the use of different boats as river transport was the most significant modes of transport for these officers who had to perform their travelling duties.
Long boats were specially fitted with even a kitchen to serve the officers. A boatman, a jaga ruan, and an office boy would be with the officer when he travelled from station to station.
Education Officers also had their own boats.
Speed boats therefore were the fastest means of travelling for government officers in those days.
the well to do families had their own speedboats and long boats. And all longhouse people and Melanaus and Malays who lived by the river banks had their own boats too. Their outboard engines would be according to their economic standing.
My uncle Wen Hui had his own little boat, not amounting to a speedboat which he used to travel from nang chong to Chung Cheng school. He was the envy of the villagers.
My father when he courted my mother, had the use of the ice factory speed boat.
Lee Hua Sawmill in those days had the best fleet of speedboats.
Speedboats in those days also saved many lives. for emergency cases friends could be called upon to help, like sending a woman who had difficulty in delivery to the Lau King Howe Hospital in Sibu.
An elderly cousin told me once that when she heard a speedboat at night, she would shiver because she felt that something was very wrong. It was like that for years for her, until she moved to Sibu town. Then she found that hearing the ambulance siren was alarming.
Very few people own speed boats nowadays. Speedboats are bigger, for large number of peoople.
The two men speedboats could be a thing of the past.
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