The Loggers
The loggers that we have met during our trips have been without exception friendly and hospitable. On many occasions we have stopped them to ask directions and they have done their best to help in spite of language difficulties. Remember that whilst few will be able to understand a map or even read and write, they will be able to give you the name of a nearby river or mountain and to give directions to the next logging camp. On one occasion, a logger made a one hour detour to lead us through a particularly difficult section of roads on the way to Mulu and would accept nothing in return.
If you stop at a logging camp make sure that you first pay your respects to the Camp Boss before accepting any hospitality from other loggers. Unless it has become late or you have got into difficulties you will probably want to make camp rather than stay in a logging hut but these can be useful in an emergency.
On our return from Long San, in June 1993, we had driven until late in the evening to make up for lost time and it had begun to rain heavily. We stopped at a very small logging camp and stayed in a empty hut. That evening, the three loggers who worked there accepted our invitation and we drank and talked long into the night. A can of beer costs around M$10 in the Ulu and a manual worker earns about M$15 per day - whiskey was a luxury that they had never tried before (most loggers are Chinese or Iban and will not be offended by your offer!).
Earlier on the same trip we were camped in the middle of the jungle on the eastern side of the Baram. Late in the evening, a loggers pickup truck drove up and checked us out. This was a group on an unofficial hunting expedition (on first seeing us in the distance they had stopped and hidden their guns at the side of the road in case we were an army patrol). Their hunting would involve a drive at high speed along the darkened roads, illuminating the jungle with a very bright halogen spot lamp. As they saw the reflection of a pair of eyes they would let loose with their collection of ancient and home made shotguns - identifying their quarry by the colour of the reflected eyes. That evening two of our group joined them and returned with a mouse deer and large wild boar. As we shared our ample beer supplies with the loggers one of them barbecued a leg of wild boar above our camp fire. Even though we had almost no common language we somehow managed to communicate and the ensuing party is one of my best memories of the jungle trips.
Permits
The type of permits that are required depend on where you start your trip and whether you will be using your own transport. The system of issuing permits to restrict access to the Ulu (interior) was first introduced by Brooke in the last century to discourage missionaries and other European settlers who may ferment trouble amongst the inhabitants. The procedure is maintained today largely due to sensitivities surrounding logging activities and their effects on the indigenous people and wildlife. Rules are strictly enforced during periods of protest by Ulu inhabitants - as happened in 1993/94 when Punans blockaded logging roads Southeast of Long San and when residents of Long Terawan protested about the confiscation of their traditional lands around Mulu for the planned construction of a golf course and luxury resort.
Permits to visit the Interior (Mulu, Bario, Long San etc.) - are officially required for any non Malaysian travelling above Marudi. These can be obtained from the Residents Office in either Miri, Marudi or Limbang. The standard procedure (which is sometimes waived, but don't count on it!) is to first visit the police station with two copies of your passport in order to gain clearance for the trip. You will be required to complete a form with your profession, other personal details and the purpose of your trip (ecologists, journalists, members of Greenpeace etc. are automatically excluded at this stage!). The police inspector endorses the form which you then take to the Residents Office where you complete yet another form to enable your permit to be issued.
Note that the same procedure applies if your ultimate destination is Bario, Long San, Long Seridan or Mulu. The Residents Office will issue the relevant permit.
Permits to enter the Logging Concession (Limbang) i.e. to pass the LCC checkpoint 20 km past Medamit, are required for anyone using their own transport. These can be obtained from the Limbang Trading Company whose offices are in a marble fronted building opposite Limbang market. The office opens at 8.00 am (also on Saturdays) and a duty manager is available on public holidays. Latest reports (October 1995) are that vehicles without this permit were being turned back the checkpoint.
Limbang Trading and the police check point do not seem to be asking to see any permits from the Residents Office at the moment, however, these are advisable if you intend to walk anywhere.
Permits to enter the Logging Concession (Miri) There are two checkpoints on the road South towards Long San. The first is at the turn off for Long Miri and is a low key affair manned by logging company employees. The second is at the Samling Timber base camp just North of Long San. This is much more formal and, in 1994, was manned by Malaysian police officers (we were able to bluff our way through the first check point but not the second, which must be passed to reach the bridge over the Baram or the roads to the Dulit Mountains and Tinjar valley).
The procedure for obtaining permits is similar to that on the Limbang side - First obtain the official permit to visit the Ulu from the Miri police station and Residents Office. Then take this to the Samling Timber Company's offices next to the Holiday Inn for a letter of authorisation to use their roads through the concessions (phone first for an appointment with Henry Kong, the MD, or Philip Ho the Operations Manager).
Equipment List for 4WD Jungle Expeditions
Equipment List for 4WD Jungle Expeditions
Essentials
Optional
Tow Ropes & Shackle
X
Jerry Cans (Water & Fuel)
X
Funnel with hose attached
X
Jump Leads
X
Radweld
X
Tool Kit
X
Scaffold Board (for bridging holes and jacking up on soft ground)
X
Engine Oil
X
WD 40
X
Foot Pump
X
Fan Belt (& Aircon Belt)
X
Plastic Steel Epoxy
X
Plastic or Steel Tape
X
Spark Plugs & Contact Breakers
X
Exhaust Repair Kit (bailing wire )
X
Electrical Wiring, Test Meter & Spare Fuses
X
Gloves (leather welders gloves for hot engines/exhaust etc)
X
Pulley Block & Rope (and/or "come along" ratchet kit)
X
Spade
X
Axe / Parang
X
Hessian Sacking
X
Tents (no possibility to sling hammocks)
X
Tarpaulins (as large as possible - blue/white type from the kedai)
X
Rope/string for tarpaulin shelter
X
Sleeping bag/sack
X
Inflatable Mattress & Pillow
X
Towels for Car Seat Covers
X
Mosquito Coils / Insect Repellent
X
First Aid Kit
X
Torches & Spare Batteries
X
Storm Lanterns
X
Toilet Roll
X
Wetties
X
Malaysian Ringitts (small denomination bills)
X
Compass
X
Maps or Pace Notes
X
GPS
X
Paper, pens, scale ruler
X
Cool Boxes & Ice
X
Food (main meals & Snacks)
X
Stoves (or cook over an open fire if you can find dry wood)
X
Cooking & Eating Utensils
X
Soft Drinks & Bottled Water
X
Beer & Whiskey
X
Disposable cups, plates etc
X
Refuse Bags
X
Washing up liquid
X
Logger/Longhouse Gifts (cigarettes, balloons, sweets, tinned food etc)
X
Swiss Army Knife
X
Passports, Permits & Car Papers
X
Sunglasses
X
Camera
X
Binoculars
X
No comments:
Post a Comment