BY NATASHA JEE & ALLAN JAY
In this final instalment of a three-part series exploring the transformation of Sarawak’s iconic river taxis, we examine how efforts to preserve the boat’s heritage — from government efforts to cultural recognition — are being balanced with modern upgrades that secure its place in Sarawak’s future.
THE Sarawak government is moving to ensure the river taxis remain a living heritage while adapting to modern needs.
Through the Kuching North City Commission (DBKU), Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB), Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak (CENTEXS), and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s (UTM) E-Penambang project, the traditional boats are being fitted with electric propulsion systems and new fibreglass hulls in traditional design – cutting carbon emissions without erasing their cultural identity.
In August last year, Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg announced that future upgrades will include solar panels and night lighting, enabling river taxis to operate more sustainably and safely after dark.
He said these improvements will be fully funded by the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS)-led government as part of wider efforts to generate renewable energy and reduce dependency on fossil fuels.
“As Sarawak pursues its goal of zero-emission public transport through hydrogen-powered autonomous rapid transit (ART) and buses, the river taxis along the Sarawak River should likewise embrace renewable energy solutions,” he said when officiating at the 36th Anniversary celebration of Kuching City last year.
The initiative has already taken shape, with solar panels now fitted onto the roofs of traditional boats.
Towards a renewable future
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Utility (Sarawak Energy and Petros) Datuk Ibrahim Baki said the E-Penambang project reflects how boat operators are contributing to Sarawak’s transition towards sustainable energy.
“DBKU engaged with Sarawak Energy to provide the technology for the boats and set up the solar charging station, which functions like an electric vehicle (EV) station.
“Hence, the traditional boats, which are called e-sampans, are now using renewable energy and they can charge their boats at the Kampung Sungai Bintangor Pontoon Jetty,” he told Sarawak Tribune.
Ibrahim, who is also chairman of Sarawak Energy said they aim to encourage people to embrace renewable energy and reduce reliance on carbon-emitting sources such as coal.
“Some countries lack the landscape or ecosystem that we have, so their transition takes longer. But here in Sarawak, we are well positioned to lead the shift towards sustainable energy,” he said.
Sarawak Energy’s vision is to achieve sustainable growth and prosperity for Sarawak by meeting the region’s need for reliable, renewable energy.
Culture meets creativity
Apart from that, Bintulu Port Holdings Bhd (BPHB) has turned to creative expression — such as decorating the boat’s roofs with pantun verses, bringing poetry to life on the water and blending everyday crossings with the rhythms of Malay literary heritage.
At present, some 16 traditional river taxis carry the charm of pantun verses on their design.
Earlier this month, Old Kuching Smart Heritage (OKSHE) chairperson, Datuk Dr Sabariah Putit who represented Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah at the Bintulu Port Pantun Series launching ceremony in Kuching, said the initiative demonstrates how cultural preservation can be creatively infused into everyday life, transforming the iconic boats into “floating platforms of heritage”.
The Minister commended BPHB for going beyond corporate responsibility, describing the project “a meaningful cultural gift to the community”.
“This is an example of how corporations can give back not only through community support, but by contributing to the preservation of our culture and identity.
“The heritage we safeguard today will be an invaluable treasure for generations to come,” said Abdul Karim.
Together, all these efforts show how the river taxis are being reimagined as both a cultural icon and a green mode of transport.
Voices from the river
For boat operators and passengers, the changes are deeply personal.
Boatman Megat Tambi from Kampung Lintang, said while he has yet to join the E-Penambang project, he is optimistic about the changes taking place.
“I haven’t switched yet because I’m still considering the long-term costs. Right now, it’s free, but in the years ahead I want to see how the maintenance will be,” said the 54-year-old.
For Megat, the new technology is not something to resist but something to prepare for.
With proper support, he believes operators will be ready to embrace the electric propulsion system as part of Sarawak’s greener future.
For long-time passenger Siti Aishah Sulung, from Kampung Boyan, the transformation of the river taxis is something she has witnessed throughout her lifetime.
“There have been so many changes to the boats. In the past, boats were rowed, then fitted with noisy petrol engines.
“Now some are modern and faster, their boats can even be charged like an electric vehicle,” she said when met at the Kuching Waterfront.
At 60, Siti still takes the river taxi every day, commuting to sell her goods in the city centre, where she would begin her day at 6.30am with the river taxis and return home in the late afternoon.
“I grew up using the boat and even now I still ride it every day. I’m proud because we have more advanced facilities. It makes life easier and the rides are quicker,” she said.
For her, the boats are more than transport — they are tied to livelihood and community.
“From the time the fare was just five sen, then slowly increasing to 10, 15, 20 sen to now at RM1, it is still worth it.
“Sometimes I pay extra around RM3 or RM4 when I need the boatman to take me further upriver.
“They are like us, working hard for a living. Using the river taxi every day gives me joy because it also helps support them,” she said.
Siti added that she never faced safety issues throughout her life when using the river taxi.
“Alhamdulillah, nothing serious has ever happened. It’s safer now compared to before when large ships would pass close by during the days of the old vegetable market,” she recalled.
Keeping the river’s story afloat
On any given day, the Sarawak River carries more than water, it carries history. For heritage advocate, poet and writer James S. L. Yong, nothing embodies that history more than the humble ‘perahu tambang’.
“The humble tambang, Kuching’s traditional river taxi, is far more than a means of crossing the Sarawak River.
“For generations, it has been a lifeline for the city’s people, a daily ritual, and a symbol of the intimate relationship between Kuching and its river,” he said.
He remembers how, long before bridges rose across the Sarawak River, the ‘tambang’ was the city’s beating pulse — the most democratic way of crossing from one bank to the other.
The Suspension Bridge at Satok, built in 1926, allowed only pedestrians, bicycles and small vehicles, while lorries and cars queued for the ferry. For everyone else, the ‘tambang’ was the constant, always waiting, always affordable.
Still, Yong insists that the boats are not just relics of necessity.
“The boats themselves, small wooden sampans rowed or now fitted with motors, reflect a continuity of traditional boatbuilding skills. The boat operators represent livelihoods handed down through generations, often forming close bonds with their passengers.
“For many Kuchingites, the boat is tied to childhood memories of going to school, of market trips, or of evening crossings to visit friends and relatives,” he told Sarawak Tribune recently.
For him, stepping into a river taxi today is an almost spiritual act — a chance to touch the same waters and see the same skyline that countless others did before.
“To step into a river taxi is to step into living history — to feel the gentle sway of the river, hear the splash of oars or hum of engines, and glimpse the Kuching Waterfront from the same perspective as countless generations before.”
Safeguarding a living heritage
Yong also believes Sarawak must not allow these boats to slip into obscurity as he wants them to be formally recognised under the Sarawak Heritage Ordinance 2019 as intangible cultural heritage.
Such a status would legitimise support programmes and, more importantly, reframe operators as custodians of cultural tradition rather than just operators eking out a living.
“I would like Sarawak to establish a dedicated tambang route linking key tourist spots such as the Waterfront, Fort Margherita, the Astana, the Darul Hana Bridge and Petanak Market, designed as a cultural journey rather than a quick crossing.
“Packaging this as a ‘must-do’ cultural experience, similar to rickshaw rides in Penang or trishaws in Melaka or gondolas in Venice,” he said.
Yong suggested that passengers listen to oral histories from the operators or guided audio tours as they glide along the water.
He also dreams of a Tambang Heritage Centre by the riverside, displaying old oars, photographs and tools of boatbuilding, where families of boat operators could tell their stories.
Community spirit on the river
Economically, Yong suggested that the boat operators need fresh support — subsidies or reduced licensing fees to maintain traditional wooden boats, creative themed decorations that celebrate Sarawak culture, and partnerships with hotels and tour agencies to weave ‘tambang’ rides into tourism packages.
He envisions local businesses, banks and government-linked companies (GLCs) “adopting” tambangs through sponsorships, blending corporate branding with cultural preservation.
Even tambang-inspired merchandise, from miniature models to T-shirts and postcards, could spread awareness while providing operators with an additional income stream.
The community, too, has a role to play. Yong paints a picture of an annual Tambang Heritage Festival — a riverside celebration with decorated boat parades, cultural performances and storytelling sessions.
He also hoped schools would integrate ‘tambang’ rides into heritage lessons, encouraging students to collect oral histories or capture them through art and writing.
As Sarawak balances the preservation of its cultural heritage with the demands of modern sustainability, the humble river taxi remains more than just a mode of transport — it is a living symbol of community, continuity and change.
With initiatives like the E-Penambang project, these river taxis are not only keeping the past afloat but also charting a greener course for the future, ensuring that the Sarawak River continues to carry both stories and people for generations to come.
