Island Road and Patin

 

Memories of river fish - Patin, fresh off the boat in Sibu.

One of the advantages living along Island Road Sibu was the opportunities for many of the landlords and tenants to buy the best fish Iban and Malay fishermen bring from the Rajang River for sale early in the morning. The indigenous folks would enjoy a quick sale of their freshly caught fish at the Tua Pek Kong wharf. Most of the customers would be the towkays from Old Street (now Chew Geok Lin Road), Island Road and Channel Road. Some of the long boats would drive straight to Lembangan River, while others stayed at the big wharf. Waves created by the motor launches would make the fishermen stumble in their long boats. Most of the fish would be sold whole as the fishermen did not have any scales then.

An aunt was always given gifts of good fish by her husband who had an office on Island Road. The moment he bought fresh water Patin especially, he would ask his office boy to send the fish home where my aunt would prepare the fish (usually steam) for the children to have lunch. The first slice would be sent by another shop assistant to the Island Road office for my uncle to eat an early lunch so that his business was not interrupted.

On days he did not get a fresh fish for the family, he would have fish ball soup or a bowl of noodles in his office. Time was precious and time was money.

Photo of patin for reunion dinner by Phyllis Wong, Foochow style patin steaks.

My aunt prepared and managed all the meals for the children and the family including her parents in law, sister in law, and shop assistants. It was quite a big task for her. She had to cook for more than 10 people every meal from breakfast (which was porridge for convenience), lunch and dinner.

In the olden days, meals for workers and assistants must be very decent for the towkay family to have a lot of face. Although a shop assistant might only earn $60 a month, his meals had to be good.

A cheerful and capable lady, she would carry out her duties well and was a very diligent housekeeper until very recently. Now her daughter in law is taking over her duties.

She would always remember the lovely fresh fish uncle would send to her via an office boy who would dangle the whole patin from the handlebar of his bicycle. It was always a great sight, a small man, on a big bicycle with a huge patin along the Market Road and then High Street at top speed.

"River fish was cheap and we ate well. My children actually ate large steaks of fresh fish as my mother in law was a very loving grandmother. She would insist that they had big portions for lunch. For their brains to develop well, she would say. Patin in those days were larger and tastier. "

My aunt told me that in the 1960's many of the smaller tributaries of the Rajang had good water. People could just drink the river water without boiling. The water was clear and cool. But today she would shudder at the thought of drinking unboiled water. 

River water was so fresh and potable. That was why the fresh water fish in those days tasted so good.