1938-1941 Kai Wen Primary School, Binatang

My grandfather, Tiong Kung Ping donated land to the Methodist Church to build Kai Wen  (Kai Woon) Primary School and the Kai Nguong Methodist Church sometime around 1924. He was also the contractor who built the school and the church. My great grandfather assisted him in every year.

The Foochow settlement in Binatang was founded by Foochow pioneers, Ling Ming Lok, Yao Shaio King and my grandfather in 1922, with Rev James Hoover as advisor. 

After recognizing the spirit of the Foochow pioneers in Sibu, the Rajah Charles Brooke and Rev James Hoover mooted the idea of settling willing Foochows in Binatang so that more rubber, padi and vegetables could be grown. Land was given title to all the Foochows who were willing to settle there, ( and they  were more than willing to pay a token sum for the land titles.)

Births of my uncles and aunts 

Several of my uncles and aunts were born in Binatang. Hence their birth certificates would state the fact. This would be before 1943.

But my aunt Carrie was born in Hua Hong Ice Factory, in Pulau Kerto. Her birth certificate stated Place of Birth,|"Hua Hong Ice Factory". It became a humorous banter sometimes. Because people would say that she was as cold as ice because she was born in an ice factory. 

It was a pitiful time during the Japanese Occupation for my aunt Carrie for Grandmother Wong passed away about one and half years after she was born, due to a complicated miscarriage. Her older sisters Chiew and Pick became her surrogate mother and later she came to live with us in Sibu to complete her 5 years of secondary school in St. Elizabeth Secondary School.

Going to School in Binatang

While the family was staying at Mee Ann Rice and Sawmill, my aunts and uncle went to school in Kai Wen Primary School (later Kai Chung School).

Ling Ming Lok, Yao shiao King and Tiong Kung Ping, the pioneers of Foochow Settlement in Binatang (now Bintangor)  1922.

During the dry season they would walk to school which took them 30 minutes. They were then roughly Primary One to Primary Six in age. When the rains came, the path would be so muddy that they had to take off their shoes and they would take longer time to reach the school in the morning.

As it was a whole day school programme the siblings had their school lunch, paid a few dollars for the month. In the evenings they would walk home.

Kai Wen Methodist Primary School. The first Headmaster was Rev Yao Shiao King. In those days, the church, school and associated buildings were together on the same piece of land. 1930's photo. Caption (Kai Wen School, upstairs was the Methodist Kai Nguong Church).

During the rainy season, Grandfather decided to buy them a small boat to row to school. It also took them half an hour to reach the school, but they would arrive, clean and very happy.  The stream to Kai Chung school was not too big and the siblings, all under the age of 12 , were able to navigate expertly. It was therefore quite a feat for these children to be paddling their own boat to school,. Today it would be quite unconceiveable to parents to allow their small children to row their canoes to school!!

But probably my aunt Chiew said that they did not know much. They only knew that it was very safe and secure. They felt good  having their own boat, and they went to school quite happily.

However one rainy day during the Landas, they were almost caught by the swift currents of the Rajang, when the Mother river rushed towards the sea, carrying a lot of debris and even logs. The currents were furious and greatly feared by the Foochows. This was called the San Lau (water coming from the mountains).

Just before they reached the rice mill on their way home, which was at the mouth of the Meradong river, a huge wave surged against the small boat, which almost tipped over.

21st Century.Small boat fitted with an outboard engine. At the mouth of the Meradong River, when I went to visit the Mee Ann property with friends. Imagine three small children rowing their own little boats in a huge river with fast flowing currents.

Luckily they were quick and strong enough to pulled to the bank of the river near the rice mill and they were saved by God's Grace. My aunt said that she was not sure why all three of them worked together without any instruction and rowed with all their strength towards the bank.

If they had been a minute slower, their little boat would have capsized and their small bodies washed to the mouth of the Rajang River.

My aunt Chiew said that because she was younger, she was the most frightened. But she lived to tell the tale and continues to shiver at the thought. Now she is more than  80 years old.

They over came their fear of the river and continued to paddle their little boat school during the rainy season.