Kapit
Encyclopedia
The town
of Kapit is the capital of the Kapit District in the Kapit Division
, Sarawak
, east Malaysia on the south bank of the Rajang River
. The district comprises 15,595.6 square kilometers and as of 2002 has a population of 60,200.
Rajah Charles Brooke
founded Fort Kapit in 1880 as a garrison town, primarily to prevent the Iban
from migrating up-river and attacking Orang Ulu
settlements. The fort was later renamed Fort Sylvia
, after the wife of Rajah Vyner Brooke
, Rani Sylvia Brooke, but the town retained the name of Kapit. Initially settled by Hoklo (Hokkien
) Chinese in 1880, additional Ka Chinese immigrants arrived in 1906, and Fuzhou
Chinese in 1919. The Chinese grew rubber
and pepper
and traded treated rubber sheet and forest products. In 1941, at the time of the Japanese occupation
, Kapit only had two rows of 37 shophouses. The town was completely destroyed by allied bombing during the war. Kapit today remains as a busy but compact town with a few streets running parallel to the river.
Although accessible only by boat (slightly more than 2 hours from Sibu
by express boat) or light aircraft, it is the vibrant commercial and social center for the middle Rajang River
catering to the longhouse communities and timber camps. It is an excellent base for exploring nearby longhouses or for arranging trips to the Upper Rejang
and Balleh River
s.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of Kapit is the capital of the Kapit District in the Kapit Division
Kapit Division
Kapit Division, formed on April 2, 1973, is the seventh of eleven administrative divisions in Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It has a total area of 38,934 square kilometers, and is the largest of the administrative divisions of Sarawak....
, Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
, east Malaysia on the south bank of the Rajang River
Rajang River
The Rajang River is a river in Sarawak, Malaysia. The river is located in northwest of Borneo and it originates in the Iran Mountains. The river flows approximately 563 km to the South China Sea, making it the longest river in Malaysia....
. The district comprises 15,595.6 square kilometers and as of 2002 has a population of 60,200.
Rajah Charles Brooke
Charles Anthoni Johnson Brooke
Charles, Rajah of Sarawak, GCMG , born Charles Anthony Johnson, ruled as the head of state of Sarawak from 3 August 1868 until his death...
founded Fort Kapit in 1880 as a garrison town, primarily to prevent the Iban
Iban people
The Ibans are a branch of the Dayak peoples of Borneo. In Malaysia, most Ibans are located in Sarawak, a small portion in Sabah and some in west Malaysia. They were formerly known during the colonial period by the British as Sea Dayaks. Ibans were renowned for practising headhunting and...
from migrating up-river and attacking Orang Ulu
Orang Ulu
Orang Ulu is an ethnic designation politically coined to group together roughly 27 very small but ethnically diverse tribal groups in Sarawak, with a population ranging from less than 300 persons to over 25,000 persons. Orang Ulu is not a legal term and no such racial group exist or listed in the...
settlements. The fort was later renamed Fort Sylvia
Fort Sylvia
Fort Sylvia is a historical monument located in Kapit town in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia. Built in 1880, it was renamed after Rani Sylvia Brooke, wife of Rajah Charles Vyner Brooke, in 1925...
, after the wife of Rajah Vyner Brooke
Charles Vyner Brooke
Vyner, Rajah of Sarawak, GCMG was the third and final White Rajah of Sarawak.-Early life:...
, Rani Sylvia Brooke, but the town retained the name of Kapit. Initially settled by Hoklo (Hokkien
Hokkien
Hokkien is a Hokkien word corresponding to Standard Chinese "Fujian". It may refer to:* Hokkien dialect, a dialect of Min Nan Chinese spoken in Southern Fujian , Taiwan, South-east Asia, and elsewhere....
) Chinese in 1880, additional Ka Chinese immigrants arrived in 1906, and Fuzhou
Fuzhou
Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....
Chinese in 1919. The Chinese grew rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
and pepper
Black pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
and traded treated rubber sheet and forest products. In 1941, at the time of the Japanese occupation
Japanese occupation of Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak
Throughout much of World War II, British Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak were under Japanese occupation.The Japanese Empire commenced the Pacific War with the invasion of Kota Bahru in Kelantan on 8 December 1941 at 00:25, about 90 minutes before the Attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii at 07:48 on 7...
, Kapit only had two rows of 37 shophouses. The town was completely destroyed by allied bombing during the war. Kapit today remains as a busy but compact town with a few streets running parallel to the river.
Although accessible only by boat (slightly more than 2 hours from Sibu
Sibu
Sibu may refer to:*Sibu, Sarawak in Eastern Malaysia*Sibu Division*Sibu , an impact crater on Mars*Pulau Sibu, an island off the eastern coast of peninsular Malaysia*Sibu , name of a goddess in the Bribri tribe, in Costa Rica...
by express boat) or light aircraft, it is the vibrant commercial and social center for the middle Rajang River
Rajang River
The Rajang River is a river in Sarawak, Malaysia. The river is located in northwest of Borneo and it originates in the Iran Mountains. The river flows approximately 563 km to the South China Sea, making it the longest river in Malaysia....
catering to the longhouse communities and timber camps. It is an excellent base for exploring nearby longhouses or for arranging trips to the Upper Rejang
Rajang River
The Rajang River is a river in Sarawak, Malaysia. The river is located in northwest of Borneo and it originates in the Iran Mountains. The river flows approximately 563 km to the South China Sea, making it the longest river in Malaysia....
and Balleh River
Balleh River
Balleh River is a river in Sarawak state, Malaysia. It is a tributary of the Rajang River....
s.
Landmarks
- Fort SylviaFort SylviaFort Sylvia is a historical monument located in Kapit town in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia. Built in 1880, it was renamed after Rani Sylvia Brooke, wife of Rajah Charles Vyner Brooke, in 1925...
- Kapit Museum - houses a fine collection of ethnic arts, handicrafts and sketches and water colors of life along the mighty rivers.
- Hock Leong Tieng Temple
- Pasar Teresang – Wet Market
- Regency Pelagus Resort http://www.theregencyhotel.com.my/Pelagus
Notable People
- Tun Tan Sri Datuk Patinggi Jugah ak BariengJugah Anak BariengTun Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Temenggong Jugah anak Barieng, also known as Tun Jugah, was a Malaysian politician of Iban descent from the state of Sarawak. He was the Paramount Chief of the Iban people for more than 55 years...
, IbanIbanIBAN or Iban may refer to:People* Ibán Espadas , footballer* Iban Iriondo , bicycle racer* Iban Mayo , bicycle racer* Iban Mayoz , bicycle racer* Iban Nokan, anthropologist and ethnographer...
Paramount Leader - Temenggong Koh, Iban Paramount Leader
- Datuk Amar Dr. Leonard Linggi ak Tun Jugah
- Temenggong Datuk Kenneth Kanyan ak Temenggong Koh
- Tememggong James Jimbun ak Pungga
- Dato Sri Dr. James Jemut Masing
- Datuk Sng Chee Hua
- Alexander Nanta LinggiAlexander Nanta LinggiDatuk Alexander Nanta Linggi is a Malaysian politician. He is currently the Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Kapit constituency in Sarawak, representing the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu in the governing Barisan Nasional coalition....
, Member of Parliament for Kapit - Encik Larry Sng